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S. Korean wins World Cup skeleton opener, Antoine 3rd for US

S. Korean wins World Cup skeleton opener, Antoine 3rd for US | iNFOnews.ca
Canada's Christine de Bruin, of Stony Plain, Alta., and Genevieve Thibault, of Quebec City, Que., compete in a women's bobsled race in Whistler, B.C., on Saturday December 3, 2016. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

WHISTLER, B.C. – Yun Sung-bin was perhaps the biggest surprise on the World Cup men's skeleton circuit last winter, when he finished second in the season-long points standings. He's got eyes on a better finish this season.

Yun prevailed in the opening World Cup race of the season on Saturday, finishing two runs at the Whistler Sliding Center in 1 minute, 45.86 seconds. Russia's Alexander Tretiakov was second in 1:45.98, and Matt Antoine of the U.S. used the strength of a flawless second heat to grab the bronze in 1:46.22.

Yun crossed the finish line, took off his helmet and let out a celebratory yell. He held on for the win, even though Antoine had the fastest time in the second heat.

"I love this track," Antoine said. "It's fast, difficult, and every run here is a challenge. You have to work for every inch, and this is what I love about this sport."

The surprise might not have been who won, but rather who didn't even medal. Latvia's Martins Dukurs, the seven-time World Cup champion, was fourth — snapping a 21-race streak in which he finished either first or second in a World Cup race.

Barrett Martineau of Calgary was the top Canadian in 10th.

Dukurs last missed a podium in a World Cup on Dec. 13, 2013, when he finished eighth at Lake Placid. That's where the circuit is heading next, for racing in two weeks.

Antoine had a streak snapped as well — he hadn't medaled in any of his last 12 World Cup starts, going back to January 2015. He changed training regimens this winter in an effort to improve his time and form at the start, and saw immediate dividends Saturday.

"In this sport you can't give up time at the start if you want to be competitive at the finish," Antoine said. "It was frustrating going into the races last season knowing I had a disadvantage. Getting back into a program with Jon Carlock helped me get back on track, and now I walk to the line with confidence again."

Nathan Crumpton was 14th for the U.S., and teammate Kyle Tress took 20th.

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Kim Anderson

Originally from a northern B.C. town that boasts a giant fly fishing rod and a population of 3,100, Kim moved to Kamloops in 2011 to attend Thompson Rivers University. Kim is as comfortable behind a camera as she is writing on her laptop. After graduating with a degree in journalism, Kim has been busy with an independent freelance writing project and photography work. Contact Kim at kanderson@infonews.ca with news tips or story ideas.

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