WOMEN'S TEAM USA BOBSLED READY TO COMPETE!

Our Women's Team USA Bobsled is Ready to Compete!

(Photos: Amanda Bird & USBSF)

L-R: Erin Pac (driver), Michelle Rzepka (brakewoman), Bree Schaaf (driver), Shauna Rohbock (driver), Emily Azevedo (brakewoman) and Elana Meyers (brakewoman).

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The reason for re-introducing you to the remarkable ladies pictured above is simple. The journey they have taken to get to the Winter Olympics in Vancouver has been a phenomenal feat. This next 48 hours is their time to compete and it's going to be intense. The Whistler track is the undisputed world's fastest. It has also been controversial.

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There have been 18 crashes involving bobsleds from Great Britain, Japan, Australia, Liechtenstein, Canada, Czechoslovakia, Switzerland, Germany and the Netherlands on the super-fast Olympic track. Speeds have exceeded 90 miles per hour. When two four-man squads from Croatia and Latvia crashed yesterday morning during supplemental training (bringing the total crash count to 20), this prompted Olympic officials to assemble the team coaches near the infamous Turn #13--dubbed by Team USA's Steven Holcomb in 2009 as "the 50-50"--accentuating the inherent risks and danger in successfully driving a sled "clean" through this turn. At the conclusion of the meeting, plans were announced to shave more than an inch of ice from Turn # 13 and elsewhere to increase safety. Like many of you, I have carefully listened to the feedback from the coaches and athletes alike that made its way to print or broadcast media. The athletes are the true experts---the drivers and brakemen of both the two-man and four-man sleds in the Men's and Women's competitions, respectively. The tone I heard from this feedback in the media was mixed, ranging from outspoken alarm to reserved and cautious reflection. My hope is for safe and competitive runs for all teams. I must add that each of the women on our Team USA has allowed their humor, warmth and personality to shine through in endless media interviews in the weeks leading up to the Olympics. Many of us feel as if we know them nearly as well as neighbors in our communities. This a compliment to their authenticity.

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With this in mind, I felt that it would be nice to compile their thoughts about the competition today and tomorrow. These games are fluid and dynamic and of course, anything can happen. No matter what, it's imperative that we give this incredible team our full support as they focus on giving their best for the USA!

--MM

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Tuesday, Feb. 23

• Women’s Bobsled Competition, Heats 1 & 2

Wednesday, Feb. 24

• Women’s Bobsled Competition, Heats 3 & 4 (Medal Event)

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“This track is so fast. You can’t prepare for this kind of speed because there’s nowhere else in the world like this. The track record was already broken last night, so I can’t imagine what we’re going to do on race day.
--Shauna Rohbock
(driver, Team USA Sled 1)

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“Everything leading up to Opening Ceremonies and getting to Whistler was so exciting, I’ve been smiling constantly. Now I’m finally on the track doing what I love, and it’s starting to feel real. We’re getting ready for the big show, and things feel great in the back of the sled.”
---Michelle Rzepka
(brakewoman, Team USA Sled 1)

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“The Olympics is about more than just your race and I think that’s what I enjoy the most about it. But when I’m at the track I’m not thinking, ‘This is my next Olympic run'. I’m just thinking about the course and figuring it out. I have some mistakes to correct and there’s still a lot to learn on this track before race day.”
--Erin Pac
(driver, Team USA Sled 2)

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“The support I have from my hometown is tremendous. It’s definitely helped me stay focused knowing that people support me no matter what just for getting to this point. I didn’t come here to just slide though; we want a medal. I think we can do it, and the encouragement from home has definitely helped.”
--Elana Meyers
(brakewoman, Team USA Sled 2)

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“This is going to be an exciting race. The curves are back-to-back and the course is fast, so it’ll be a fight for the medals. The support from Washington and my community has been amazing, and I definitely feel close to home here in Whistler."
--Bree Schaaf
(driver, Team USA Sled 3)

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“Being here is incredible. Bree is such a positive and confident person, and she makes it a lot of fun. This track is definitely exciting, and I think Bree and I have a good chance to do well in the race."

--Emily Azevedo

(brakewoman, Team USA Sled 3)

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