Four years ago, Mountain View High School senior Noelle Pikus-Pace thought "skeleton" referred simply to the bone structure inside her body. Today, the Utah Valley State College senior track and field athlete is the overall World Cup Champion in the Olympic winter sport that bears the same name.
Needing to finish fifth or better in Friday's two heats in Lake Placid, N.Y., Pikus-Pace finished third, clinching the World Cup title.
"I'm really excited," she said afterwards. "I don't think it's hit me yet, the significance of it. I tried my best, and I did it. I feel like all my hard work has paid off."
Her hard work paid off big time. Pikus-Pace becomes the first American woman to win the overall World Cup title, a collection of seven races over two and a half months. Along with Friday's third-place finish, Pikus-Pace won three season events and placed second in another, finishing with 560 points, 15 more than Switzerland's Maya Pederson.
"It's a breakthrough," Pikus-Pace said. "Hopefully it will continue."
Said United State skeleton head coach Tim Nardiello: "It's very significant. I think she did a fabulous job. She's been working hard all winter, and it's nice to see it all come together. She's paying her dues, and it's paying off for her."
A gifted athlete in high school, Pikus-Pace was invited by Mountain View track coach Steve Revelli to go to Park City to try her luck at bobsledding. When bobsledding didn't work out, she gave skeleton a try.
"It was about the time when we were beginning the program," Revelli said. "She was always a good all-around athlete. I saw her ability to think on her feet. She really took to it."
It took a little while for her to catch on, finishing the 2003-2004 season ranked No. 14 overall with two 11th-place finishes, but she came on strong this season.
"There's a point where everything jells, where everything comes together for them," Revelli said.
"I just had fun," Pikus-Pace said. "I believed in myself. I've had a wonderful support group, but basically I tried to have fun.
"This is a dream. When I first started this, this was my dream to be here right now. Now it doesn't come as a surprise. It's something I've expected now. Now I just have to look towards the World Championships."
The World Championships will be held Feb. 21-22 in Calgary. Compared to the seven-race World Cup, the World Championships measure the riders on a single day on a single track.
"Noelle's proven to be the best this year, whether she wins the World Championships or not," Nardiello said. "But I think her chances are great."
Pikus-Pace is peaking at just the right time in the season, immediately prior to the 2006 Olympic Winter Games set for Torino, Italy.
"If you're going to do it, this is the year to do it," Revelli said. "It sets her up for the Games next year."
Said Pikus-Pace: "It's definitely my biggest goal right now. I need to train hard, get faster and stronger. If it is an opportunity for me, I'm going to do my best and give it 100 percent. Winning now gives me momentum into next season."
As if she isn't busy enough, following the World Championships, Pikus-Pace plans to return home to compete for Utah Valley State's track and field team in her final year of eligibility, competing in the heptathlon and throwing the discuss.
Wolverine head coach Scott Houle is excited to have her back.
"It'll be nice to get her on our team because she's a competitor," he said. "The younger athletes will be able to learn from her. We're excited to have her, but mostly to have her personality back in the program."