“We’ve been sliding together for seven years, it’s been a long time coming,” noted Griffall, following the race. “We’re still young, but this is what we’ve been working for since day one and finally we get our chance.” Griffall and Joye raced to a two-run time on the Verizon Sports Complex track of 1 minute, 29.352 seconds and now join two-time Olympic medalists Mark Grimmette (Muskegon, Mich.) and Brian Martin (Palo Alto, Calif.) in making up the nominated U.S. Olympic doubles luge team roster.

Niccum and Quinn, who were also eying their first Olympics together, clocked a combined time of 1:29.472, just 0.120 seconds behind Griffall and Joye.

Myles, who fell to Nick Sullivan in a race-off for a spot on the 2002 Olympic luge team, clocked a two-run time of 1:48.943, while the 17-year-old Mazdzer slid to a two-heat total of 1:49.104. “This has been a very stressful week, leading up to today’s race,” said the 23-year-old Myles. “I had some troubles during each of my runs, but they were good enough to win and it feels good just to get this over with. I’m going to try to relax during the Christmas break, and come back for the second half of the season ready to go.”

Myles will now join 2002 Olympian Tony Benshoof (White Bear Lake, Minn.) and Niccum in making up the three-sled men’s singles lineup. The women’s singles team, which was announced Saturday, Dec. 17, in Lake Placid, will feature 2002 Olympian Courtney Zablocki (Highlands Ranch, Colo.), as well as Erin Hamlin (Remsen, N.Y.) and Samantha Retrosi (Saranac Lake, N.Y.), both Olympic rookies.