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Canada’s Mellisa Hollingsworth wins World Cup skeleton race in Lake Placid
By John Kekis, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Friday, November 20, 2009

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Canada’s Melisa Hollingsworth, left, celebrates with a coach after winning the women’s World Cup Skeleton competition on Friday, Nov. 20, 2009 in Lake Placid, N.Y. (THE ASSOCIATED PRESS/Lou Reuter)

The home-ice advantage for the U.S. skeleton team vanished for the second straight week in World Cup competition and Canada and Germany took advantage in the snowless Adirondack Mountains.

With the Winter Olympics in Vancouver less than three months away. Frank Rommel led a 1-2 German finish in the men’s race on Friday at Mount Van Hoevenberg. only hours after Mellisa Hollingsworth of Eckville. Alta.. had won gold in the women’s event.

Hollingsworth led after a first-heat run of 57.54 seconds and finished the two-heat race in one minute 54.85 seconds to edge Shelley Rudman of Great Britain by 0.23 seconds. Rudman finished just 0.05 seconds ahead of world champion Marion Trott of Germany. who took the bronze in 1:55.13.

Hollingsworth’s gold gave Canada its third medal in two races.

"We definitely have come out with a great start. having two podiums." said Hollingsworth. who was third a week ago. just behind silver-medal-winning teammate Amy Gough of Abbotsford. B.C. "It’s a great start to hopefully a great ending to the season."

Gough finished sixth in 1:56:01 while Michelle Kelly of Fort St. John. B.C.. was seventh in 1:56:06.

Anja Huber of Germany. who won the women’s season-opener. was in Germany rehabbing an ankle she injured while walking the Lake Placid track on Sunday. Rommel said the team was hopeful Huber could race again at next week’s race in Cesana. Italy.

"It was a strong team performance." Rommel said after the Germans took three of the top six spots. "We have a good team."

The men’s victory was sweet redemption for Rommel. who won four World Cup races last season before struggling to 13th place in the skeleton world championships here. He posted the fastest times on both runs to easily beat teammate Sandro Stielicke in the second race of the World Cup season.

Rommel finished in 1:50.88 seconds. nearly a half-second ahead of Stielicke.

"It’s kind of revenge for last year’s world championships here." Rommel said. "It wasn’t my race then. This time I knew how to take care of myself. I’m quite happy to bring it all together today."

Stielicke finished in 1:51.36. followed by Martins Dukurs of Latvia. who won the World Cup opener a week ago at Park City. Utah. Dukurs took the bronze. just 0.01 seconds behind Stielicke. and Dukurs’ brother Tomass was fourth in 1:51.50.

The opener at Park City was plagued by heavy snow. On Friday. sliders faced a soft track because of a steady overnight rain and temperatures just above the freezing mark. That left some water on the course and made the race much different from the fast conditions that prevailed during a week of training.

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