PARK CITY — Hometown girl Tricia Stumpf was one of two athletes to set track records at the U.S. Sliding Championships here Friday.
The 29-year-old Park City resident won the women's skeleton with a time of 1 minute and 43 seconds, negotiating the twisted icy track in 51:48 on her first run, breaking the old track record of 52:32.
Stumpf, who has only been competing in the women's skeleton for two years, said the record didn't surprise her because she'd been consistently beating 52 seconds during recent practice runs.
"I knew if the snow would hold (off), I would break the record today," she said after claiming her first national title.
Minnesota native Tony Benshoff set the evening's other track record, claiming his first national title in the men's luge with a combined time of 1:31 while averaging speeds in excess of 77 mph. Benshoff, a 24-year-old college student at the University of Minnesota, nailed a course-record time of 45.95 in his first heat. Despite his milestone victory, the 10-year luge veteran showed little emotion afterward in the winner's circle.
Benshoff attributed his winning performance to the fact that he's bulked up to 190 pounds, saying the increased muscle mass helped him get a faster start. What's more, he said a newfound laissez faire approach has made him a better luge rider.
"I just laid back and had a good time," Benshoff said in the winner's circle. "Enjoy the ride, so to speak."
The only favorite not to win a championship at Friday's three-sports sliding events was the two-man bobsled team of Brian Shimer and Pavle Jovanovic. Shimer elected not to race because the sled he usually uses is in Italy, where he will compete in the World Cup Championships next week, said Dave Kurtz, vice president of the U.S. Bobsled and Skeleton Federation.
Todd Hays and Mike Kohn won the two-man bobsled with a combined time of 1:37.35.
Kurtz said Shimer — who did later compete in the four-man bobsled, his team finishing second to Hays' — had been aware of the scheduling dilemma for some time and decided against using a different sled.
Local high school seniors Ry Van Roosendaal of Heber City and David Apple of north Utah County performed respectably in the two-man bobsled, finishing sixth out of 10 competitors with a combined time of 1:41.96. Apple, a running back on the Lone Peak High School team, has only had two months of bobsled training.
Kurtz said it is "very uncommon" for 17-year-olds with little experience to perform so well in the bobsled.
Only hundreds of spectators braved the cold Friday to view the opening day of the sliding championships. Some said they came out because they doubt they will be able to buy tickets when the 2002 Winter Games come to Salt Lake City and Park City serves as the Olympic venue for bobsled, luge and skeleton competitions.
Perhaps an Olympic title would do more to excite the nonchalant Benshoff, who said in his victory speech words that might have inspired the wrath of legendary football coach Vince Lombardi were he alive today.
"I'd probably be just as happy if I got second or third," Benshoff said.
By contrast, Stumpf found herself amid the day's rowdiest victory celebration, as all nine of her opponents congratulated her and posed for a group photo while enthusiastic skeleton fans shook cowbells.
For Stumpf, triumph was a good feeling, but she speaks of a far greater one.
"There's nothing like the thrill of being face first and two inches off the ice."