Nov 22 2009
US Bobsled Men Dominate at Lake Placid World Cup
Veteran bobsledder Steve Holcomb and young John Napier traded the top and second step on the podium at the second Bobsled World Cup competition of the season in Lake Placid, NY.
“All summer we’ve said we have the strongest U.S. team we’ve ever had,” said Holcomb. “Today shows that we’re going to be a fighting force out there. It’s going to be a good year, and I’m excited. We can keep the momentum going from here.”
Holcomb took home the gold in the 4-man bobsled competition atop a talented international field, proving he is the fastest bobsled pilot in the world. He won this gold medal on the same track he claimed the World Championship title on last February, beating out teammate John Napier by 44/100ths of a second.
A day before Napier took home the gold in the 2-man race. His first World Cup medal will be draped around his neck in front of an adoring home crowd today. Only 23-years-old, Napier shocked a competitive international field of 25 sleds by claiming gold. It was Napier's first top-10 finish, and he jumped right to the head of the class.
Men’s bobsled coach and 2002 Olympic bronze medalist Brian Shimer greeted Napier at the finish, grinning like a proud father. “Is this what it always feels like,” Napier asked Shimer. The two shook hands before embraces from the U.S. team swallowed Napier on the finish dock.
The young pilot edged out teammate Steven Holcomb (Park City, Utah) for the win with a convincing lead of 0.26 seconds after sliding a combined time of 1:53.62. The closest Napier has ever come to the World Cup podium was a fifth place result in Park City, Utah’s four-man event last season. Holcomb was one of the first athletes to congratulate Napier at the finish before the two U.S. pilots joined each other on the podium.
Source: Amanda Bird, USA Bobsled and Skeleton
The RadXSports video crew was there for the practice runs. We'll have a profile of these exciting Olympic medal hopefuls in the exhilarating slide sports coming soon.