Team USA Competes in Last Weekend of World Cup Racing Before Worlds

World Cup

LILLEHAMMER, NORWAY (February 9, 2025) - Team USA closed out the regular season of IBSF World Cup races with a weekend of great finishes for the Stars & Stripes.

In Women’s Skeleton, Mystique Ro won silver with a combined run time of 1:44.59. Kelly Curtis placed seventh with a time of 1:45.41. Sara Roderick and Katie Uhlaender placed 19th and 21st, with respective times of 1:46.44 and 1:46.82.

In Men’s Skeleton, Austin Florian placed 19th with a time of 1:44.32, Dan Barefoot placed 25th with a time of 1:45.01, and Nick Tucker placed 27th with a one-run time of 52.67.

In the Mixed Team Skeleton event, Ro and Florian won bronze with their combined time of 1:51.00. Curtis and Barefoot placed 12th with a time of 1:51.91.

“This weekend was a great close to the World Cup tour and is giving us momentum heading into World Championships. We saw some great individual performances and two medals to cap things off. The team is looking forward to finally getting back on home ice in Lake Placid!” shared Matt Antoine, Head Coach of USA Skeleton.

In Women’s Monobob, all four ladies representing Team USA placed within the top 10; Kaysha Love slid into a gold-medal finish, tying with Bree Walker of Austrailia with a combined time of 1:49.14. Elana Meyers Taylor placed seventh with a time of 1:49.52, Kaillie Armbruster Humphries placed eighth with a time of 1:49.64, and Sylvia Hoffman placed tenth with a time of 1:49.83. 

“It’s great to see Kaysha end the World Cup season with a win. Our team has had great results the past two weeks and we are excited to carry this confidence into World Championships next month,” shared Chris Fogt, Head Coach of USA Bobsled.

In 2-Man Bobsled, Frankie Del Duca alongside Manteo Mitchell slid into a sixth-place finish with their time of 1:42.17.

In 2-Woman Bobsled, Meyers Taylor and Jasmine Jones placed seventh with a time of 1:45.18. Love and Lolo Jones placed ninth with a time of 1:45.24, Armbruster Humphries alongside Emily Renna placed tenth with a time of 1:45.39, and Hoffman alongside Bailey Golden placed 14th with a time of 1:45.98.

In 4-Man Bobsled, Del Duca, Carsten Vissering, Charlie Volker and Mitchell placed tenth with a combined time of 1:41.03.

Para Sport World Cup

In Race 1 of the recent Sigulda leg of the Para Sport World Cup, Bob Balk placed fourth with a tie of 1:30.60, Will Castillo placed seventh with a time of 1:30.78. Austin Parker placed 13th with a time of 1:31.82, Doc Jacobs placed 14th with a time of 1:32.15, and Dan Rizzieri placed 15th with a time of 1:33.24

In Race 2, Balk placed third with a time of 1:30.41. Castillo placed sixth with a time of 1:30.64, Parker placed 12th with a time of 1:31.34, Jacobs placed 13th with a time of 1:31.50, and Rizzieri placed 16th with a time of 1:32.15.

Europe Cup (EC)

In the recent Europe Cup Men’s Skeleton Race 1, also held in Sigulda, Hunter Williams placed 12th with a time of 1:42.56, Darryl Payne Jr placed 25th with a time of 1:45.07 and Sam Allred placed 30th with a one-run time of 53.52. In Race 2, Williams placed 17th with a combined time of 1:44.27, Allred placed 30th and Payne placed 31st, with respective one-run times of 53.26 and 53.75.

In EC Women’s Skeleton Race 1, Michelle Toukan placed tenth with a time of 1:46.54. In Race 2, Toukan placed second with a time of 1:46.02.

North American Cup

The North American Cup (NAC) tour ended recently with one last 2-Woman and 4-Man race.

In 2-Man, Riley Tejcek and Jestena Mattson won gold with a run time of 1:57.21. Lauren Brzozowski and Kourtney Kennard placed fifth with a time of 1:59.31. 

In 4-Man Bobsled, which was a one-heat race, Kris Horn, Josh Williamson, Adrian Adams and Hunter Powell won gold with a time of 55.74. Geoff Gadbois, Collin Storms, Bryan Sosoo, and Bryce Cheek placed fourth with a time of 56.49. Shane Fisher, Otto Zaccardo, Trevor Chase and Joe Fraseur placed sixth with a time of 56.83.

IBSF World Championships begin on March 6 on home ice in Lake Placid.

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About USA Bobsled/Skeleton

USA Bobsled/Skeleton is the national governing body for the sports of bobsled and skeleton racing in the United States. Based in Lake Placid, NY, USA Bobsled/Skeleton oversees the development and training of American athletes at all levels of competition.