Photo credit: Jimmy Reed
Kelly Curtis (left) and John Daly (right) pushing at the start

LAKE PLACID, N.Y.  (March 22, 2021)– Kelly Curtis (Princeton, N.J.) and John Daly (Smithtown, N.Y.) capped the season by winning their respective races in today’s USA Skeleton 2021-2022 National Team Trials in Lake Placid. 

Today marks the last day on ice this season. If the schedule permits, the team selection race series will continue in the fall. Quotas for next season are based on the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation’s ranking system from the 2019-2020 season. The U.S. has three spots on the women’s World Cup tour, and two spots for the men.

In today’s women’s race, Megan Henry (Roxbury, Conn.) was the first heat leader with a run of 54.51 seconds, and Curtis had the second-best time of 54.59 seconds. Curtis rallied back in the finale with the fastest time of 54.96 seconds to overtake the lead with a combined time of 1:49.55. 

Katie Uhlaender (Breckenridge, Colo.) posted the third and fourth fastest times of 54.66 and 55.07 seconds, respectively, to finish in second place with a total time of 1:49.73. Henry had the sixth ranked time of the second heat, which moved her into third with an aggregate time of 1:49.75. Henry had the fourth fastest push times of 5.34 and 5.32 seconds.

Yesterday’s race winner Kendall Wesenberg (Modesto, Calif.) finished fourth with a two-run total of 1:49.77. She tied Curtis for the fastest run of the second heat. Savannah Graybill (Denver, Pa.) posted a combined time of 1:49.99 to finish fifth, followed by Sara Roderick (Truro, Mass.) in sixth with a cumulative time of 1:50.05. Henry had the fastest start time of 5.22 seconds in the second heat.

Austin Florian (Southington, Conn.) led the men after a first run time of 53.36 seconds, a mere 0.01 seconds ahead of Daly. Daly, a three-time Olympian, managed to overtake the lead with a second run time of 53.80 seconds for a combined time of 1:41.17. Florian finished second with a two-run total of 1:47.43. The fastest start times of 4.82 and 4.81 seconds were posted by Florian.

Andrew Blaser (Meridian, Idaho) clocked downtimes of 53.70 and 53.85 seconds to finish third with an aggregate time of 1:47.55.

Stephen Garbett (Parker, Colo.) finished fourth with a combined time of 1:48.11. Daniel Barefoot (Johnstown, Pa.) was fifth with a 1:48.51, followed by Mike Rogals (Orwell, Vt.) in sixth with a 1:49.06. 

The offseason officially begins tomorrow. Please contact USABS Marketing & Communications Director Amanda Bird at 518-354-2250, or amanda.bird@usabs.com, with media inquiries.

 

Results

 

Women’s team trials race #4

1. Kelly Curtis 1:49.55 (54.59, 54.96);

2. Katie Uhlaender 1:49.73 (54.66, 55.07);

3. Megan Henry 1:49.75 (54.51, 55.24);

4. Kendall Wesenberg 1:49.77 (54.81, 54.96);

5. Savannah Graybill 1:49.99 (54.89, 55.10);

6. Sara Roderick 1:50.05 (55.04, 55.01);

7. Mystique Ro 1:51.09 (55.60, 55.49);

8. Michelle Toukan 1:52.76 (56.32, 56.44);

9. Leah Fair 1:58.76 (59.39, 59.37);

 

Men’s team trials race #4

1. John Daly 1:47.17 (53.37, 53.80);

2. Austin Florian 1:47.43 (53.36, 54.07);

3. Andrew Blaser 1:47.55 (53.70, 53.85);

4. Stephen Garbett 1:48.11 (53.84, 54.27);

5. Daniel Barefoot 1:48.51 (54.08, 54.43);

6. Mike Rogals 1:49.06 (54.37, 54.69);

7. Alex Ivanov 1:49.49 (54.77, 54.72);

8. Chris Strup 1:49.51 (54.80, 54.71);

9. Hunter Williams 1:49.75 (54.73, 55.02);

10. Dave DeMarco 1:55.39 (59.21, 56.18);

 

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. 

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