LAKE PLACID, N.Y. (AP) — Former world champion Noelle Pikus-Pace is well on her way back to the U.S. national skeleton team.
Pikus-Pace was an easy winner in the first of four team selection races Tuesday, her first official competition since retiring after the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. Pikus-Pace had a two-run time of 1 minute, 54.35 seconds — a whopping 1.37 seconds ahead of runner-up Kimber Gabryszak (1:55.72) and nearly 2 full seconds better than third-place Meghan Sullivan (1:56.31).
In the first men’s selection race, John Daly also posted a convincing win. He finished two runs in 1:51.98, which was 1.11 seconds better than Kyle Tress (1:53.09). Ryan Sweeney (1:53.64) was third.
Reigning world champion Katie Uhlaender and Matt Antoine are already on the national team, leaving one women’s and two men’s spots on the World Cup squad undecided.
