BEAR HOLLOW -- U.S. skeletoneers found out, in a bittersweet way, that the track at the Winter Sports Park is very "European." And bobsledder Jen Davidson of Salt Lake City found experience paid off in silver in World Cup competition on Saturday.
Europe's best skeleton sliders like the track and were quick to say from the top steps of the podium that it was very much like their tracks back home -- fast, smooth and technical.So much for home-track advantage and the extra hours of glide time the American athletes had. It probably kept the U.S. sliders from the medal stand in the first World Cup skeleton event held in Utah. Their best performance, in an event they were given a good chance at a podium visit, was fourth.
On a bitter-cold day, on a track crews worked hard to clear of new snow, Switzerland's Alain Wicki, a 12-year veteran of the sport, posted the two fastest times to win the gold. Second was Ryan Davenport of Canada, another veteran of the sport and the maker of the now popular Davenport sleds. Andy Boehme of Germany was third.
Jim Shea of the U.S. team finished fourth but did have what he called a "minor victory." He set the track record for the push start, 4.77 seconds in the first 50 feet. By comparison, the winner's best push was a 5.06 seconds.
"Normally, the push would help, but it didn't today," Shea said. "I didn't have a lot of speed. This is a field of 33 athletes, the best in the world, and Europeans have a little more experience than I have. Also, they are driving better than I am. You can't take anything away from them. They're great sliders and have great experience."
Wicki's time was 1 minute, 41.89 seconds. Shea's time was 1:42.61. On the initial run, the first three sliders broke the track record. Wicki posted the lowest time of 50.60 seconds.
Following the World Cup skeleton competition, the women's World Cup bobsledding was held. And time spent practicing on the Winter Sports Park track paid off for the Americans.
U.S. driver Jean Racine and her brakeman, Davidson, stepped onto the podium to take a silver behind the Swiss team of Francoise Burdet and Katarina Sutter. The winning time was 1:42.86 to a 1:43.21. The German team of Steffi Moeller and Sabine Knabe were third.
The second U.S. team of Jill Bakken and Meg Henderson finished sixth of 15 teams.
In the world of skeleton, competitors say equipment is 40 percent of a race, experience 60 percent. The Winter Sports Park track is expected to give the Americans more experience. Now, Davenport is helping with the equipment.
A few years back in Lake Placid he destroyed his sled. Facing the option of quitting or building a new sled, he opted for the second choice. Now he's building upwards of 25 sleds a year.
Shea and Terry Holland, who at 44 puts himself on the geriatric team, both bought new Davenport sleds this year.
"They're good sleds. Before, when we were buying European sled we weren't always sure we were getting the best. We don't worry about that now. Ryan would sell you his sled and, in fact, did sell it to a member last year," said Holland.
In the women race, which attracted 16 competitors, Steffi Hanslic of Germany won with a combined time of 1:45.16. Maya Biere of Switzerland was second and teammate Ursi Walliser was third. The best U.S. finish was Babs Isak in 10th.
Hanslik set the track record for the women's push (5.25 seconds) and time (52.32 seconds).
After the race, Wicki said he loved the track, "and I love the fact the track is fast from the beginning and very technical. It was not so easily, but with my experience it was a big advantage."
He said the secret to the track is to have the feeling for speed, not be too hard on the track, try to accumulate speed, "and adapt to quickly to every situation. You cannot have a perfect run. You need to see where you are and feel what to do next. And, as you can imaging, very quick to do so. That's challenging."
The skeleton and women's bobsled are two events seeking to be included in the 2002 Olympics. Consensus is that the women's bobsled has the best chance, simply because it can be tagged onto the men's event. The skeleton, however, is a completely different sport requiring different officials and different track times.
A decision is expected in March.
The second women's bobsled race will be today at 9 a.m.