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Bobsled and Skeleton season kicks off with America's Cup Race
By Tom LaDue // USA Bobsled and Skeleton Federation // November 3, 2005
Lake Placid, New York – The 2005-2006 bobsled and skeleton season officially kicked-off with the first event of the season. The America’s Cup event was the prelude to what the United States is hoping will be a season full of medals with the culmination at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino, Italy in February. The American team started off the season by claiming three medals in the first of six skeleton races on the America’s Cup Tour. Taking the top honors in their respective fields were Mike Cline (Kent, WA) and Jody Barton (Washingtonville, NY).
In the men’s race, Mike Cline took the gold medal after having the two fastest runs of the competition. Cline had a first run of 57.39 and a second run of 59.17 to finish with a combined time of 1:56.56. In second, was Yuuki Nozawa of Japan with a time of 1:57.44 (57.80, 59.64). Finishing in third, with a time of 1:57.76 after runs of 57.82 and 59.94 was Mike Douglas from Canada.
Rounding out the top six were: Maury Zuber (Des Moines, IA) in fourth, with a time of 1:58.27 (57.92, 1:00.35); Canadian Keith Loach, in fifth, with a time of 1:58.38 (57.90, 1:00.48) and Masanori Inoue from Japan, in sixth, with a time of 1:58.73 (58.22, 1:00.51).
Also competing for the United States were: Adam Donahoo (Sandy, UT) in eighth, with a time of 1:59.14 (58.45, 1:00.69); Matt Antoine (Prairie du Chien, WI) in ninth, with a time of 1:59.27 (58.08, 1:01.19); John Daly (Smithtown, NY) tied for tenth, with a time of 1:59.32 (58.81, 1:00.51) and 2003 America’s Cup Champion Brian McDonald (Kingston, NY) in twenty-fourth after only taking one run.
The United States dominated the women’s competition with three women finishing in the top five. Tash Ellison of Canada won the gold medal with runs of 58.03 and 1:00.68 for a combined time of 1:58.71. In second, was American Jody Barton with a time of 1:59.93 after runs of 59.02 and 1:00.91. In third, also from the United States was Felicia Canfield (Kaysville, UT) with runs of 59.03 and 1:00.91 with a combined time of 1:59.94.
Rounding out the top six were: Emma Lincoln-Smith from Australia in fourth, with a time of 2:00.17 (59.21, 1:00.96); Jessica Palmer (Roy, UT) in fifth, with a time of 2:00.38 (59.08, 1:01.30) and Bindee Johnston from Australia in sixth, with a time of 2:00.40 (59.13, 1:01.27).
Also competing for the United States were: Kimberly Krowleski (Needham, MA) in seventh, with a time of 2:00.48 (59.93, 1:00.55); Marci Francis (Monroe, NY) in eleventh, with a time of 2:00.87 (59.33, 1:01.54) and Babs Isak (Park City, UT) in twelfth, with a time of 2:01.19 (59.81, 1:01.38).
Up next will be race two of the America’s Cup Skeleton tour tomorrow at 9am at the Verizon Sports Complex.
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