Switzerland is off to a swift start in World Cup skeleton competition, in first place for both men's and women's events.
After the first two skeleton races held in Europe — at Igls, Austria, and Konigssee, Germany — U.S. men are ranked second and third. The top American woman is fifth, and the next is 11th.
Men's winner of the World Cup 2000-01 season, Park City's Lincoln DeWitt, is ranked 16th in results furnished by the International Bobsled and Skeleton Federation (FIBT).
The American woman who performed best last season, Park City's Tricia Stumpf, was plagued by injuries as the season began. Her overall ranking in World Cup races last year gave her fourth place, but this season Stumpf has been racing in the less-prestigious America's Cup. She took fifth place in the Nov. 25 race at Calgary, Canada.
Top finisher in men's skeleton World Cup competition, after two out of seven events, was the Swiss athlete Gregor Stahli. He was fifth overall last season, but got off to a fiery start for the 2001-02 races.
Stahli won the first event in Knigssee on Nov. 16 with a combined time in two heats that was only 0.15 of a second ahead of Chris Soule of Trumbull, Conn.
After heats in the next event, Stahli won at Igls, Nov. 21, nearly 0.3 of a second ahead of Martin Rettl, Austria.
So far, Soule is the top U.S. men's skeleton athlete, ranked second overall among 34 World Cup racers. Jim Shea, Lake Placid, N.Y., is third. Next ranked U.S. man is DeWitt, in 16th place.
Maya Pedersen, Switzerland, and Steffi Hanzlik, Germany are ranked first and second, respectively, after two races, in the women's World Cup tour. Last season, Hanzlik was second overall in World Cup competition and Pedersen was third.
Third-ranked this year after two races is Alex Coomber, Great Britain, who won the World Cup tour last season. Fourth is Lindsay Alcock, Canada, who was not among the top 25 at the end of the 2000-01 season.
Top U.S. woman in skeleton World Cup competition so far this year is Lea Ann Parsley of Granville, Ohio, who is in fifth place. She won the bronze at Igls on Nov. 21. Last season, she finished sixth overall.
Next highest-ranked American woman is Tristan Gale of Ruidoso, N.M., listed ninth by the FIBT.
Skeleton racers are to practice at the Utah Olympic Park, Bear Hollow, Wednesday through Saturday. They head to Calgary for World Cup races Dec. 11-14.
E-mail: bau@desnews.com