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Zablocki in medal hunt in women's luge
By Craig Bohnert // U.S. Olympic Committee // February 13, 2006
Courtney Zablocki (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) was the top woman for the United States in the singles luge competition Monday at Cesana Pariol, ranking fourth behind three Germans after completing her first two runs with a combined time of 1:34.382.
Zablocki is 0.521 seconds behind leader Sylke Otto of Germany (1.33.861), who posted the best times on both runs (47.041 and 46.820). Zablocki was 47.253 on her first run followed by a 47.129. Silke Kraushaar is second for the Germans (1.34.129) followed by Tatjana Huefner, who is .004 seconds ahead of Zablocki at 1:34.378.
Erin Hamlin (Remsen, N.Y.) of the U.S. is 17th (1:36.476, 48.660 and 47.816). Samantha Retrosi (Saranac Lake, N.Y.) posted a time of 47.861 on her first attempt but was unable to complete her second run due to an accident. According to Ed Ryan, the U.S. Olympic Committee’s Director of Sports Medicine, Retrosi suffered a possible concussion and lacerations on her chin and left knee. She was transmitted by ground ambulance to Sauze d’Ouix and flown by helicopter to CTO Hospital in Torino for further assessment.
The women’s luge competition concludes with the final two runs Tuesday afternoon at the Cesana Pariol. The U.S. is still eyeing its first podium finish in Olympic women’s singles luge, having come close on two occasions when Cammy Myler, in 1992, and Becky Wilczak, 10 years later, each slid to fifth place results.
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