Mystique Ro at the start line in Sigulda on race day.

SIGULDA, Latvia (December 14, 2021) – Mystique Ro (Nokesville, Va.) claimed bronze in the women’s skeleton European Cup race in Sigulda yesterday. It was her fourth medal performance this season, and this is the first time that Ro has competed on the Latvian track in her career. With one race to go in the series, Ro is ranked second overall in European Cup points. 

“Sigulda is a highly technical and nuanced track, and can be intimidating to new sliders,” said USA Skeleton Technical and Development Lead Coach Caleb Smith. “Many of our athletes, including Mystique, were first timers in Sigulda, so to be on the podium with so few training runs is a brilliant result. I know Mystique is hungry for more and looking forward to the second half of the season.”

Ro posted the fastest start time of 4.97 seconds in yesterday’s first heat for the third fastest downtime of 53.01 seconds. She had the second-best start time of 5.02 seconds in the second heat, and the seventh fastest run of 53.70, which was enough to maintain medal position. Ro claimed bronze with a combined time of 1:46.71.

Russians Polina Tiurina and Anastasiia Tsyganova finished first and second, respectively. Tiurina was victorious with a two-run total of 1:45.83, while Tsyganova took silver in 1:46.31. 

American Michelle Toukan (Central City, Neb.), who was also racing in Sigulda for the first time, clocked a combined time of 1:50.00 to finish 14th. 

Ro was again fastest off the start block in today’s first heat with a push time of 5.01 seconds. She raced to the finish in 53.74 seconds for fifth position and was just 0.04 seconds from third. Ro clocked the second-best time of 5.06 seconds off the block in the final heat, but fell back a spot with the eighth ranked downtime of 54.32 seconds. Ro finished sixth with a combined time of 1:48.06. 

Team Russia swept the women’s medals today. Tiurina earned another gold medal after clocking a total time of 1:46.57. Her teammate Ulyana Usynina claimed silver in 1:46.74, followed by Tsyganova in third with a two-run total of 1:47.05. 

Toukan improved on her performance with a 12th place finish after clocking a cumulative time of 1:50.07 today. She posted start times of 5.30 and 5.34 seconds for runs of 54.74 and 55.33 seconds, respectively.

Hunter Williams (Carnegie, Penn.) had respectable finishes in the men’s races in his first time racing in Sigulda. He posted a 10th place finish yesterday with a total time of 1:44.15 with runs of 52.24 and 51.91 seconds. His second heat was the fourth fastest time of the field. Williams was 13th today with a combined time of 1:45.64 after posting downtimes of 52.92 and 52.72 seconds.

Dmitrii Grevtsev from Russia was victorious yesterday with a total time of 1:42.54. Krists Netlaus of Latvia took silver in 1:43.03, and Stefan Roettig claimed bronze in 1:43.34. 

Grevtsev swept the men’s races with another gold medal performance today. He was victorious with a total time of 1:42.94. Roettig moved up to earn the silver medal with an aggregate time of 1:43.47, and Bogdan Popov from Russia took bronze in 1:43.89.

The European Cup tour will pause for a holiday break before the final race of the series in Altenberg, Germany on January 9th.

For media inquiries, please contact USABS Marketing and Communications Director Amanda Bird at amanda.bird@usabs.com.

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Results

Women’s skeleton race #1 (12/13)

1. Polina Tiurina (RUS) 1:45.83 (52.83, 53.00);

2. Anastasiia Tsyganova (RUS) 1:46.31 (52.99, 53.32);

3. Mystique Ro (USA) 1:46.71 (53.01, 53.70);

14. Michelle Toukan (USA) 1:50.00 (54.63, 55.37);

Women’s skeleton race #2 (12/14)

1. Polina Tiurina (RUS) 1:46.57 (53.16, 53.41);

2. Ulyana Usynina (RUS) 1:46.74 (53.52, 53.22);

3. Anastasia Tsyganova (RUS) 1:47.05 (53.84, 53.21);

6. Mystique Ro (USA) 1:48.06 (53.74, 54.32);

12. Michelle Toukan (USA) 1:50.07 (54.74, 55.33);

Men’s skeleton race #1 (12/13)

1. Dmitrii Grebtsev (RUS) 1:42.54 (51.17, 51.37);

2. Krists Netlaus (LAT) 1:43.03 (51.34, 51.69);

3. Stefan Roettig (GER) 1:43.34 (51.63, 51.71);

10. Hunter Williams (USA) 1:44.15 (52.24, 51.91);

Men’s skeleton race #2 (12/14)

1. Dmitrii Grevtsev (RUS) 1:42.94 (51.09, 51.85);

2. Stefan Roettig (GER) 1:43.47 (51.76, 51.71);

3. Bogdan Popov (RUS) 1:43.89 (51.85, 52.04);

13. Hunter Williams (USA) 1:45.64 (52.92, 52.72);

About USA Bobsled/Skeleton

USA Bobsled/Skeleton (USABS), based in Lake Placid, N.Y., is the national governing body for the sports of bobsled and skeleton in the United States. For more information, please visit the USABS website at www.usabs.com. Individuals interested in becoming a bobsled or skeleton athlete can visit www.usabobsledskeleton.com.