Skeleton Official Training Day #1 (February 7, 2022)

 

Katie Uhlaender (Breckenridge, Colo.)

(on the staff and volunteers working these games)

The Chinese people, the staff and volunteers, are some of the kindest I’ve ever met and they want nothing more than to do their best. It’s a really great atmosphere.

(on being a five-time Olympian)

I'm humbled and honored to be in that crowd but I also at the same time am like, ‘Am I supposed to be here?’

I really want to finish my career on my own terms, because it's easy to get sucked into the results. The one thing that brings us all together is sport and the passion for sport. It goes beyond politics, race, religion, all those things that we all have differences in. It's just really nice to have that purity and remember that before I walk away. 

Kelly Curtis (Princeton, N.J.) 

(on if it’s set in yet that she’s at the Olympic Winter Games)

I’m still not going to believe it until that green light goes for race day one. 

(on what it’s like going to the Olympic Winter Games with her teammate and friend Andrew Blaser)

It’s amazing. We’ve been working well together for years now. It’s great to have him here to decompress after sliding and also talk sliding with him. 

(on being the first Black athlete to represent the US in the sport of skeleton at the Olympic Winter Games)

I’m just excited for whoever might be inspired by that story. I didn’t really have too many people to look up to in the skeleton world, but I did in bobsled. I’m standing on the shoulders of giants and trying to inspire the next generation.

 

Andrew Blaser (Meridian, Idaho)

(on his training runs today)

So the first run was not my best work, we’ll just go with that. We made a lot of corrections in between heats which at least gives me a little confidence that I can take what is being fed to me from my coach Jack (Thomas) and make those corrections between runs, which is a really big portion of racing. We tried some different stuff with some equipment, found what worked and what didn’t.

 

 

Skeleton Official Training Day #2 (February 8, 2022)

 

Katie Uhlaender (Breckenridge, Colo.)

(on what she thinks about the 2022 Olympic track)

The track is so much fun. I feel like I’m starting to get it, but it feels like everyone else is starting to get it too, so it’s going to be a really interesting race. It will be a really close race. I think it’s going to come down to whoever can be consistent, because thus far I think very few athletes have been able to be consistent. And then who can keep their cool. The Olympic Games bring on a whole new definition of pressure.

(on what it feels like to be in her fifth Olympics)

I didn’t really think I could be a medal contender at 37, but here I am. 

 

Kelly Curtis (Princeton, N.J.) 

(on what she thinks are the trickier portions of the track)

Curve 4 and Curve 13 are definitely tricky, for me at least. Other people are going right through it just fine. Definitely (Curve) 13, I’ve been taking some nice hits out of that.

(on how much video she reviews after each training session)

A lot of video, all the angles that we can get. I just try to make it into manageable parts, not trying to make anything too big. It’s just one corner at a time, and I have different options for different entrances.

(on if she’s going to allow herself to take in the Olympics)

My goal for those four race heats is to stay here in the present moment and not let any moment get too big, because all season I’ve slid my best when I focus on the task at hand and staying in the present moment. When I’ve thought about the implications of that, then I would tense up. Especially the St. Moritz World Cup race, I felt like my job was to enjoy St. Moritz, because I thought I was probably going to be back to work next week. It’s tough of course with more people watching, the pins, all the speculation around it, but for me to slide my best I need to remain connected to the present moment.

Andrew Blaser (Meridian, Idaho) 

(on getting a “good luck” message on Instagram from celebrity singer-songwriter and actress Sara Bareilles)

It’s the greatest thing that’s ever happened to me so far.

I was watching the men’s Super G and I saw it and I was like, we’re literally at the Olympics and I’m getting excited about somebody posting a story that I literally asked them to post. But it was great.

(on how he was able to reach Sara Bareillas)

The best part is that the person that it came from was the flag bearer for the Tokyo Games, which was Kara Winger, who her husband, Russ, actually went to the same university that I did. So I’ve never actually met Russ, but I lived with Kara down in Colorado at the training center. She was the one that posted the story that got to Sara Berailles, and that’s awesome. This is great. I listen to her everyday when I’m warming up.

(on how his story got to her)

This someone who has three-quarters of a million followers, and she got to see one from me. I’m a big fan. I hope you read this, because, you know, big fan. 

 

Skeleton Official Training Day #2 (February 8, 2022)

Katie Uhlaender (Breckenridge, Colo.)

(on her final training runs)

I just finished training and it wasn’t the best day. I’m still processing it. 

Kelly Curtis (Princeton, N.J.) 

(on how she felt about today’s training runs)

A little rougher than official training two, but still everything is about information gathering right now. I’m going to be curious about my runs, and go back and talk to my coach about them.

(on what she will do on her day off tomorrow)

Think a lot. I’ll come by tomorrow morning and see the men’s race, cheer on Andrew, and see what it’s like. It’s all brand new to me.

Andrew Blaser (Meridian, Idaho) 

(nn mastering Curves 1-2)

I’m trying to. We made some changes between runs actually, so focused a little bit more on the entry into Corner 1 and I was definitely closer on that sixth training run. It felt like it’s all there, and now I just need to be dialed in and focused tomorrow, and those pieces are all very workable. That’s the beauty of training, we get six runs to work on different things. That’s been my focus all week. It’s such a speed component that happens in that transition between Curves 1 and 2.

(on the quick turnaround between tonight’s final training run and tomorrow morning’s first race runs)

I’m going to be heading back, doing some runners. My suitemates are racing in doubles luge tonight, so I’ll definitely be watching that and cheering them on. It’s their Olympic debut tonight. Definitely getting my runners busted out pretty quick, and going through my sled and making sure everything is ready.