Senior National Championships end luge season
By LOU REUTER, Enterprise Senior Sports WriterArticle Photos
LAKE PLACID - A world champion returned to triumph on the track where she recently made history, an athlete who had back surgery less than three months ago regained his winning form, and the most successful doubles team in United States luge history continued their solid sliding.
On Saturday in Lake Placid, the luge racing season came to a close with the 2009 U.S. Senior National Championships, where Erin Hamlin, Tony Benshoof and the doubles team of Mark Grimmette and Brian Martin wrapped up their campaigns with victories.
Hamlin returned to the same Mount Van Hoevenberg track where she claimed a world championship last month to top the U.S. women's singles field, Benshoof slid to an upset victory in men's singles, and Grimmette and Martin held on to defeat four other tandems for the doubles crown.
In the women's singles, Hamlin turned in the fastest times in each heat to slide past 11 more competitors. Julia Clukey finished runner-up and Megan Sweeney placed third.
Hamlin put down runs of 44.199 and 44.369 seconds for a winning 1:28.568 total. Clukey was less than a half second back with a 1:28.977 time and Sweeney rounded out with a 1:29.430 total in the two-heat race.
After breaking a 99-win streak put down by the German women when she triumphed at the 2009 FIL World Championships last month, Hamlin said she hopes a solid finish to her campaign will be a boost heading into an Olympic year for the entire U.S. team.
"This was still a race, even though it wasn't an international race," Hamlin said. "This is the strongest team we have had in a while, and there are lots of girls right behind me. They were pushing me. I couldn't lay back."
Hamlin did say she would like to take a short break on a sunny beach, but then it's back to work in preparation for the upcoming season that includes the Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver.
"I'm hoping to go to Florida for a week or so, and then it's back to the gym," Hamlin said. "We're heading into an Olympic year, and I'm already looking forward to that. There's lots of room for improvement. My starts are something I really want to get better at. If I can knock off a tenth of a second off my starts, that's going to be a big help."
One dozen athletes competed in the women's singles race. Sixteen racers slid in the men's competition, which was also a two-heat race.
After having back surgery the day after Christmas, Benshoof has been attempting to climb back up the ladder that had him among the best luge athletes in the world just a few seasons ago.
On Saturday, the 33-year-old from White Bear Lake, Minn., turned in the second-fastest times in each heat to take the national title. He put down consistent runs of 52.717 and 52.684 and a 1:45.4001 total to slip past Robby Huerbin,who just concluded his first season on the senior World Cup level. Huerbin, who hails from Pittsburgh, Pa. was a close second, finishing in 1:45.550. Bengt Walden, who was the top-ranked American racer during the past season, placed third in 1:45.601.
"I think I pushed a little too hard after my surgery," Benshoof said. "Maybe I came back too early, but I'm progressing, a little bit at a time. I'm happy today. I'm a bit surprised I won. Bengt has been our most consistent slider all season, so I would consider my win a small upset.
"I'm looking forward to working hard in the offseason to get ready for next year," Benshoof added. "My goal is to be back in the top five on the starts. If I can do that, I'll be right there in the mix. I want to be in the best shape in my life heading into next season."
Chris Mazdzer had the top intermediate times in both men's singles heats, but struggles on the lower portion of Mount Van Hoevenberg's mile-long run ultimately dropped the Saranac Lake resident into fourth place. Mazdzer finished with a 1:45.680 total, and Trent Matheson rounded out the top five.
"I was right there," Mazdzer said. "But from curve 14 on, I had problems. I could have won this race. I've had some disappointments, but I'm pretty happy overall. It was my first season racing on the senior level."
A doubles team since 1996, Grimmette and Martin slid to another national title, but they had to make up time on the lower sections of the track on the final heat to pull out the victory. The two-time Olympic medalists put down the fastest opening heat, 44.039 seconds, and followed with the second-quickest run in heat No. 2 to eke out a win over the runner-up team of Christian Niccum and Dan Joye. Grimmette and Martin won with a 1:28.334 total, which was less than a tenth-second ahead of Niccum and Joye. Mazdzer and Jayson Terdiman took the bronze in 1:28.837.
"We've been a team for a long time, but a lot of the guys out there have been together for a long time too," Grimmette said. "We're looking forward to next year. We getting faster, and we are going to keep working on that. Our starts can improve, and our technique can improve.
"We really want to have our sled next season," Martin added. "We're heading into an Olympic year."
