Uhlaender posts top-10 finish in women’s skeleton World Cup in Sigulda
by USA Bobsled/Skeleton
Contact: Amanda Bird, USABS Marketing and Communications Director
(518) 354-2250, amanda.bird@usabs.com
Uhlaender posts top-10 finish in women’s skeleton World Cup in Sigulda
Katie Uhlaender during a training run earlier this week in Sigulda.
Photo credit: IBSF / Viesturs Lacis
SIGULDA, Latvia (December 31, 2021) – Katie Uhlaender (Breckenridge, Colo.) and Megan Henry (Roxbury, Conn.) finished 0.04 seconds from each other in 10th and 11th place, respectively, in this morning’s women’s skeleton World Cup in Sigulda. Kelly Curtis (Princeton, N.J.) finished 20th in her first career race on the Latvian track.
Uhlaender was consistent off the start block with push times of 5.23 and 5.20 seconds, 18th and 15th best of the field. The four-time Olympian raced to the finish in 52.94 and 52.86 seconds to secure 10th place with a combined time of 1:45.80. This was Uhlaender’s third career World Cup race on the Latvian course.
Henry clocked the 13th ranked push time of 5.16 seconds in the first heat for the 17th best downtime of 53.15 seconds. She bettered her start to 5.12 seconds in heat two, and gained six positions with a finish time of 52.69 seconds. Henry was just behind her teammate in 11th with a two-run total of 1:45.84. Henry, a member of the Army World Class Athlete Program, finished six places higher than her last World Cup race in Sigulda in 2020.
Curtis finished 20th in her first career competition in Sigulda. She clocked starts of 5.16 and 5.19 seconds for downtimes of 53.08 and 53.47 seconds, respectively. Curtis, a member of the Air Force World Class Athlete Program, tallied a total time of 1:46.55.
Austrian Janine Flock was victorious with a combined time of 1:44.64. Russian Yulia Kanakina claimed silver with a total time of 1:44.81, followed by Kimberly Bos of the Netherlands in third with a two-run total of 1:44.98. This was Bos’ third medal finish this season, and she maintains her status as the World Cup leader going into the New Year.
The men’s skeleton competition is up next at 2:35 p.m. local time. Streaming will be available via desktop at olympics.com/en/live/, and via mobile, tablet and connected television platforms on the Olympic Channel app. Check local listings for broadcast times on the Olympic Channel and OlympicChannel.com.
For media inquiries, please contact USABS Marketing and Communications Director Amanda Bird at amanda.bird@usabs.com.
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Results
1. Janine Flock (AUT) 1:44.64 (52.15, 52.49);
2. Yulia Kanakina (RUS) 1:44.81 (52.46, 52.35);
3. Kimberly Bos (NED) 1:44.98 (52.71, 52.27);
10. Katie Uhlaender (USA) 1:45.80 (52.94, 52.86);
11. Megan Henry (USA) 1:45.84 (53.15, 52.69);
20. Kelly Curtis (USA) 1:46.55 (53.08, 53.47):
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.