Dec 16

First half of 2012-2013 season concludes with Junior World Championships

Print

Contact: Amanda Bird, USBSF Marketing & Communications Director
(518) 354-2250, abird@usbsf.com

First half of 2012-2013 season concludes with Junior World Championships

IGLS, Austria (Dec. 16, 2012)- The U.S. team wrapped up the first half of the 2012-2013 season with the skeleton Junior World Championships in Igls, Austria today.  Development athletes Sherri Emery (New Gloucester, Maine) and Kevin McGlade (Stafford, Va.) posted 14th and 15th place finishes, respectively, at the Olympic Sliding Centre.

Emery was grateful to represent the nation in Junior World Championships, despite a hampering leg injury sustained several weeks ago on the European Cup tour.

“I am really pleased to have this opportunity,” Emery said.  “I encountered difficulties during the race because of my leg.  I knew instantly after the third training run in the La Plagne, France European Cup that I had some serious problems.  Unfortunately it was a hurdle I couldn’t hop over in time for Junior Worlds.”

Igls favors athletes with fast starts, and Emery’s push times suffered due to her injury.  She threaded together two consistent runs of 57.31 and 57.30 seconds for a combined time of 1:54.61 for 14th.

“I have no doubt I could have performed better mentally and physically with a healthy leg, but my circumstances didn’t allow for that,” Emery said.  “I did the best with what I had and learned more about myself and the competition.  I am heading home for medical evaluations and rehabilitation, and will be back to my normal self in no time.”

Russian Elana Nikitina was victorious by just 0.10 seconds over Germany’s Sophia Griebel.  Maria Mazilu from Romania was third.

McGlade, a 2011 Brooke Point High School graduate, continued his journey in the sport by traveling overseas to compete in Europe for the first time.  McGlade clocked runs of 55.90 and 55.29 seconds for a total time of 1:51.19 for 15th place.

Germans Christopher Grotheer and Axel Jungk finished 1-2, while Barrett Martineau from Canada was third.

Katelyn Kelly (Orchard Park, N.Y.) entered the women’s bobsled event, but her brakeman was ill the day of competition and wasn’t able to complete the race.  No U.S. teams were entered in the men’s bobsled races. 

Please contact Amanda Bird, USBSF Marketing & Communications Director, at abird@usbsf.com or 518-354-2250 with media inquiries.

Results:

Women’s skeleton:

1. Elena Nikitina (RUS) 1:51.08 (55.77, 55.31); 2. Sophia Griebel (GER) 1:51.18 (55.69, 55.49); 3. Maria Mazilu (ROU) 1:51.60 (55.99, 55.61);…14. Sherri Emery (USA) 1:54.61 (57.31, 57.30);

Men’s skeleton:

1. Christopher Grotheer (GER) 1:47.76 (54.05, 53.71); 2. Axel Jungk (GER) 1:48.60 (54.27, 54.33); 3. Barrett Martineau (CAN) 1:48.79 (54.54, 54.25);…15. Kevin McGlade (USA) 1:51.19 (55.90, 55.29);

About the U.S. Bobsled and Skeleton Federation
The United States Bobsled and Skeleton Federation, based in Lake Placid, N.Y., is the national governing body for the sports of bobsled and skeleton in the United States. The USBSF would like to thank its sponsors, suppliers and contributors for their support: BMW of North America, Under Armour, United States National Guard, Kampgrounds of America, Vivat!, Global Forwarding, KBC Helmets, Susan G. Komen for the Cure, Autism Speaks, Park City Lodging, EDAS/Ripxx, UberSense, Tesa Tape and Ferris Mfg. Corp. For more information, please visit the USBSF website at http://bobsled.teamusa.org.

###