CALGARY- 20 year-old Elisabeth Vathje says her new favourite colour is silver after winning her third silver medal while sliding to her fourth World Cup skeleton podium finish of the season Saturday in Igls, Austria.
The rookie, who was born and raised in Calgary, clocked a two-run time of one minute, 49.64 seconds (1:49.64) on the flat 1,220-metre track.
“I’m pretty excited. I had two personal best pushes on both runs today. It was such a close race and I just kind of let it go and let the sled do its job again today,” she said.
A relatively unknown heading into her first ever season, Vathje, a silver medallist at the 2014 World Junior Championships, was one of three Canadian women that wasted little time making a statement to the world on the skeleton track this fall in their first trip on the World Cup circuit.
“I knew in the back of my mind these results could be possible. I think the support I have received from the new group at Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton and everyone that makes up Team Vathje has been the difference,” Vathje said.
Two Calgary boys also suited up in Austria. Barrett Martineau was 17th at 1:47.85, while Evan Neufeldt placed 21st (1:48.47).
The top skeleton women in the world will compete again on Sunday in Igls as a make-up race from La Plagne, France. Vathje will not be able to compete as she withdrew from the race before FIBT officials finally cancelled it due to poor track conditions.
“I’m not in the running for the overall, and it is honestly devastating they (FIBT officials) will not let me start,” she said.
Comments