Uhlaender, Blaser win first US skeleton team trials races

Published Oct. 26, 2019 2:25 p.m. ET

LAKE PLACID, N.Y. (AP) — Katie Uhlaender is one step closer to returning to the U.S. national skeleton team.

The four-time Olympian — who did not race last season — won the first team trials race Saturday, giving her a leg up in grabbing one of the two available spots on the women's national team that will compete in World Cup races this winter.

The four-race series continues Sunday.

Uhlaender's two-run time at Mount Van Hoevenberg was 1 minute, 51.90 seconds. That put her one-tenth of a second ahead of Savannah Graybill (1:52.00) and just over a quarter-second ahead of Megan Henry (1:52.18).

Returning Olympian Kendall Wesenberg is a non-placing competitor in the team selection races, since she already has a spot on the World Cup roster secured by being the reigning national champion. The same applies to Austin Florian, who has one of the three spots on the men's World Cup roster wrapped up already.

Andrew Blaser won the first men's selection race with a two-run time of 1:49.52. That put him well ahead of Alex Ivanov (1:50.17) and Mike Rogals (1:50.30).