LAKE PLACID, N.Y.—Annie O’Shea and Matt Antoine won titles in the U.S. National Skeleton Championship on Saturday, breaking track records in the two-day competition at Mount Van Hoevenberg.
O’Shea, from Port Jefferson Station, N.Y., won the four-heat women’s event by 2.40 seconds, finishing with a total time of 3:44.90 seconds. She had the fastest start and finish times in all four heats.
“Things just came together for me this week, and it feels great to end the season on a good note,” said O’Shea, 23rrd last week in the World Championships. “I tried to forget about what happened this season and just slide well. I don’t want to second-guess myself anymore. I decided to take the mistakes I made this season and use them to get better, which really helped me this week. I started to believe in myself again.”
O’Shea had a time of 55.38 seconds to break the Lake Placid track record. German star Marion Trott set the previous record of 55.45 on her way to winning the 2009 world title.
“It definitely gives me my confidence back,” O’Shea said. “I know that people will be striving to beat what I’ve already achieved on this track, and that’s pretty cool. I definitely needed this.”
Two-time Olympian Katie Uhlaender of Breckenridge, Colo., was second.
Antoine, from Prairie du Chien, Wis., won the men’s title by 2.22 seconds with a four-run total of 3:38.76.
“I couldn’t ask for a better way to end the year,” Antoine said. “Winning national championships is a distinction everyone wants to have and I’m definitely pleased. I’m feeling confident and hope to carry this momentum into the offseason.”
He broke the Lake Placid track record by 0.41 seconds with a first-run time of 53.68 seconds.
“When I crossed the timing eye I knew it was a fast run. I just didn’t know how fast,” Antoine said. “It was such a close race, so I was pretty pumped to walk away with the lead.”
Antoine broke the record set by teammate John Daly of Smithtown, N.Y., during an America’s Cup competition in December 2009. Daly finished second Saturday with a combined time of 3:40.98.
“I really enjoy racing with these guys,” Daly said. “We were competing in national championships together in 2003 and it’s nice to be fighting it out for the title eight years later in 2011.”
