LAKE PLACID, N.Y. — Americans Eric Bernotas and Katie Uhlaender posted decisive victories Friday in the World Cup skeleton races at the Olympic Sports Complex, with Bernotas setting track records in both heats.
The victory moved Bernotas into the lead in the men’s standings.
The 36-year-old from Avondale, Pa., totaled 1 minute, 48.98 seconds for two runs to earn his fourth World Cup victory and third on the one-mile, 20-turn course on Mount Van Hoevenberg.
Uhlaender, second after the first run, had the fastest time of the second heat to win the women’s race in 1:52.60. The defending World Cup champion from Breckenridge, Colo., finished 0.37 seconds ahead of Michelle Kelly of Canada and won at Lake Placid for the second consecutive year.
“The track is in awesome shape,” Bernotas said. “I felt more G-pressure on the lower part of the track than I have ever felt, so I figured I had to have been going a little faster than I’m used to going.”
Canadian Jon Montgomery finished second, 0.73 seconds behind Bernotas. Zach Lund of Salt Lake City, the 2006-07 World Cup champion, was third.
In his first heat, Bernotas clocked 54.55 seconds to break by 0.19 seconds the track record set by American Matt Antoine at the America’s Cup in December 2006.
“I was just glad to put down a solid run,” Bernotas said. “I knew I still had a second run to do, so I was feeling good, but I had to look within myself, stay relaxed, and prepare for run number two.”
Bernotas eclipsed the mark 90 minutes later with a second-run time of 54.43 seconds.
Through three races, Bernotas leads the World Cup standings with 619 points. Montgomery is second with 594 points. Kristan Bromley of Great Britain dropped from first to third in the standings with a fifth-place finish Friday.
“Things are coming together,” Bernotas said. “If we as a team keep supporting one another like we have been, we’ll bring consistency into the second half.”
In the women’s first heat, Canadian Carla Pavan clocked 56.27 seconds to break the women’s track record by 0.03 seconds, but had the third-fastest time in the second heat, 56.73 seconds, and finished third. Uhlaender turned in identical heat times of 56.30 seconds to win the seventh World Cup race of her career.
Kelly, winner of the first two races of the season, leads the standings with 660 points. Uhlaender is second with 603 points.
