SHAUNA ROHBOCK AND MICHELLE RZEPKA-WOMEN'S USA BOBSLED!

L-R: Shauna Rohbock with Michelle Rzepka

(Photo: Courtesy of Charlie Booker & USBSF)
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With the Opening Ceremonies of The Olympic Winter Games about to begin on February 12th, we resume here with a blog post about Team USA Woman's Bobsled number 1 driver Shauna Rohbock (Park City, Utah) and brakewoman Michelle Rzepka (Novi, Michigan).

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SHAUNA ROHBOCK

Shauna Rohbock's career in sports began at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah as a member of both the track and soccer teams (1995-1998). She scored 95 goals in 368 shots over a 90-game career and became a two-time All American in soccer and heptathlon. Rohbock began competing in bobsled as a brakewoman in 1999 before deciding to become a driver in 2002. She played professional soccer with the San Diego Spirit of the WUSA for two seasons until the league folded.

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Shauna Rohbock was named to the 2006 Olympic Team and won the Silver medal with brakewoman Valerie Fleming. She finished the 2006-2007 season with seven World Cup medals and ranked second overall in World Cup standings. During the 2007-2008 season, she earned a Sliver and two Bronze medals. In the 2008-2009 season, Rohbock won a medal of each color and claimed Gold at the World Cup race in Whistler, Canada, site of the 2010 Olympic Games. Rohbock won the Silver medal at the 2009 World Championships with brakewoman Elana Meyers and is ranked 4th overall in FIBT women's bobsled 2009/2010 rankings.

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Rohbock graduated from Brigham Young University in 1999 with a degree in Recreation Management. In 2000, she joined the Utah Army National Guard and is currently a member of the National Guard Outstanding Athlete Program and holds the rank of Sergeant.

FAST FACTS ABOUT SHAUNA

• 2006 Olympic silver medalist with Valerie Fleming
  

• 4th overall in 2009-2010 World Cup-9th in Park City (Nov., 2009), 5th in Lake Placid (Nov., 2009), GOLD in Cesana (Dec., 2009), 4th in Winterberg (Dec., 2009), BRONZE in Altenberg (Dec., 2009), 7th in Konigssee (Jan., 2010), 5th in St. Moritz (Jan., 2010), GOLD in Igls (Jan., 2010)
  

• 4th overall in 2008-2009 World Cup-7th in Winterberg (Nov., 2008), BRONZE in Altenberg (Dec., 2008), SILVER in Igls (Dec., 2008), GOLD in Konigssee (Jan., 2009), 6th in St. Moritz #1 (Jan., 2009), 6th in St. Moritz #2 (Jan., 2009), GOLD in Whistler (Feb., 2009)-SILVER at 2009 World Championships in Lake Placid (Feb., 2009)
  

• 5th overall in 2008-2009 America's Cup-GOLD in Park City #1 (Oct., 2008), GOLD in Park City #2 (Oct., 2008)

• 4th overall in the 2007-2008 World Cup with brakewoman Valerie Fleming-5th in Calgary (Niv., 2007), 3rd in Park City (Dec., 2007), 5th in Lake Placid (Dec., 2007), 4th in Cortina (Jan., 2008), 2nd in Cesana (Jan., 2008), 6th in St. Mortiz (Jan., 2008), 6th in Konigssee (Feb., 2008), 3rd in Winterberg (Feb., 2008)-9th in World Championships in Altenberg, Germany (Feb., 2008)

• 1st overall in the 2006-2007 World Cup with Valerie Fleming-GOLD in Calgary (1Dec., 2006), GOLD in Park City (Dec., 2006), BRONZE in Lake Placid (Dec., 2006), 4th in Cortina (Jan., 2007), SILVER in Igls (Jan., 2007), SILVER in Cesana Pariol (Feb., 2007), SILVER in Winterberg (Feb., 2007), SILVER in Königssee (Feb., 2007)-3rd in World Championships in St. Moritz, Switzerland (Feb., 2007)
  

• 3rd overall in the 2005-2006 World Cup with Valerie Fleming-SILVER in Calgary (Nov., 2005), BRONZE in Lake Placid (Nov., 2005), BRONZE in Igls (Dec., 2005), BRONZE in Cortina (Dec., 2005), 4th in Königssee (Jan., 2006) , 12th in St. Moritz (Jan., 2006)
  

• 5th overall in the 2004-2005 World Cup with Valerie Fleming-6th in Winterberg (Nov., 2004), BRONZE in Altenberg (Dec., 2004), BRONZE in Igls (Dec., 2004), 7th in Cortina (Dec., 2004), SILVER in Cesana Pariol (Jan., 2005), 6th in Lake Placid (Feb., 2005) -3rd at World Championships in Calgary, Canada (Feb., 2005)
  

• Set 7 track records during the 2004-2005 season

• 9th overall in 2003-2004 World Cup as driver with Amanda Moreley and Erin Pac-5th in Calgary (Nov., 2003), 4th in Lillehammer (Jan., 2004), 7th in Segulda (Feb., 2004)-9th at World Championships in Königssee, Germany (Feb., 2004)

• 9th overall in 2002-2003 World Cup as a driver with Carol Lewis, Brianne Tenclay, Megan Kosman and Eric Pac-11th in Calgary (Nov., 2002), 7th in Park City (Nov., 2002), 7th in Lake Placid (Dec., 2002), 13th in Igls (Jan., 2003)-13th at World Championships in Winterberg, Germany (Feb., 2003)
  

• 2001-2002 World Cup as brakewoman for Jill Bakken-8th in Winterberg (Nov., 2001), 4th in Königssee (Nov., 2001), 7th in Igls (Nov., 2001)
  

• 6th place in 2000 World Championships in Winterberg, Germany (Feb., 2000) as brakewoman for Jill Bakken.

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“Nobody comes in here not wanting to win a medal. It’s definitely a daydream, coming across that line, seeing that No. 1 on the clock, feeling that excitement. Everyone thinks of that.”

-Shauna Rohbock

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Michelle Rzepka

In high school, three MIchelle "Mickie" Rzepka played basketball, volleyball and ran track. She set records in the 100 meter and 200 meter relays and began to ponder an Olympic career. While attending Michigan State University, Rzepka was an All-American and a Big-10 indoor and outdoor pole vault champion. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology in 2005, and a Masters degree in Exercise Physiology at McNeese State University.

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Rzepka began the sport of bobsled in 2007, joining the World Cup team during her rookie year. She was a stand-out with top ten finishes in seven of eight World Cup races, earning her first World Cup Bronze medal in Whistler, Canada, site of the 2010 Olympic Games. She placed 6th with driver Erin Pac at the 2009 World Championships in Lake Placid, New York.

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During the 2009-2010 World Cup, Rzepka continued her impressive performances with two bronze medals in Park City, Utah and Altenberg, Germany, as well as her first World Cup gold with 2006 silver medalist Shauna Rohbock during the third race in Cesana, Italy.

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FAST FACTS ABOUT MICHELLE

• 2009-2010 World Cup as brakewoman for Erin Pac, Shauna Rohbock & Bree Schaaf-BRONZE in Park City (Nov., 2009), 7th in Lake Placid (Nov., 2009), GOLD in Cesana (Dec., 2009), 4th in Winterberg (Dec., 2009), BRONZE in Altenberg (Dec., 2009), 10th in Konigssee (Jan., 2009), 5th in St. Moritz (Jan., 2010), GOLD in Igls (Jan., 2010)
  

• 2nd at 2009 U.S. National Bobsled Push Championship

• 2008-2009 World Cup as brakewoman for Erin Pac--4th in Winterberg (Nov., 2008), 10th in Altenberg (Dec., 2008), 6th in Konigssee (Jan., 2009), 6th in St. Moritz (Jan., 2009), BRONZE in Whistler (Feb. 2009)-6th at World Championships in Lake Placid (Feb. 2009)
  

• 2007-2008 World Cup as push athlete for Erin Pac and Jamia Jackson-8th in Calgary (Nov., 2007), 8th in St. Moritz (Jan., 2008), 10th in Konigssee (Feb., 2008)-13th at World Championships in Altenberg, Germany (Feb., 2008).

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"I started out racing with Erin at the beginning of the season, then started racing with Shauna. Both are very talented drivers and have a lot of potential for the Games. But I'm excited to race with Shauna -- she really loves to drive the bobsled. Her experience of driving, and she was a push athlete, also, before she started driving, so she's definitely strong at the start. She seems to know her lines, and she's been to the track multiple times. I think her experience is what gives her an edge on a lot of the drivers - especially since she won the gold at Whistler last year, and I think she'll be very confident going in, but also ready for the unexpected."
--Michelle Rzepka