Published: February 06, 2008 03:40 pm            

Jackson places in top ten

Jamia Jackson, 2007 America’s Cup Champion, made her World Cup debut in Cesana, Italy, and posted her first top-ten result last month in St. Moritz after finishing eighth. Teamed with Mickie Rzepka (Novi, Mich.), Jackson competed in only her third World Cup competition on Feb. 1. Jackson and Rzepka pushed consistent times of 5.47 and 5.46 in the two-heat competition, finishing tenth after runs of 51.35 and 51.15 for a total time of 1:42.50.

“The Germans are very hard to beat on the German tracks,” said Sepp Plozza, U.S. women’s bobsled coach. “Jamia did very well in her third World Cup race.”

Then six nations battled for the gold in the World Cup team event in Koenigssee, Germany on Feb. 3. Each nation chose an athlete to take one run in each of the four disciplines of men’s skeleton, women’s bobsled, women’s skeleton and men’s two-man bobsled. Germany won the team event with a total time of 3:19.86. Taking silver was Switzerland with a four-run total of 3:20.45.

The US raced their junior team in all disciplines in preparation for the Junior World Championships in Igls, Austria next week. The race for the bronze medal came down to the last sleds between the US and Russia. The US finished in third place with a four-run combined total of 3:21.37.

Jackson teamed with Emily Azevedo (Chico, Calif.) for her fourth World Cup race, finishing with a time of 51.61 seconds. The Russian team slid a time of 52.13 seconds, bringing the American team closer to the podium.

Annie O’Shea (Port Jefferson Station, N.Y.), 2007 America’s Cup Champion in women’s skeleton, sped to the finish with a time of 50.58 seconds. O’Shea’s time was 0.32 seconds faster than Russia’s Olga Korobkina, bringing the US team 0.03 seconds ahead of the Russians leading into the final heat.

The bronze medal would be decided in the final run. John Napier (Lake Placid, N.Y.) teamed with Chuck Berkeley (Clayton, Calif.) in men’s bobsled. The Russian team slid a run of 50.11. Napier and Berkeley pushed the second fastest push time of the heat, a 5.01, and slid to the finish in 50.13 seconds.

Both teams held their breath waiting for the combined time to flash on the clock before the US team screamed in victory, claiming bronze by only 0.01 seconds over the Russians.

The U.S. women’s bobsled team is competing in the World Cup finale this week. The next team competition will be held at World Championships in Altenberg, Germany on Feb. 18 at 8:30 a.m. EST. Check out the excitement live on NBCOlympics.com.

For complete race results, visit www.bobsleigh.com, the website of the Fédération International de Bobsleigh et de Tobogganning.

Jackson is the daughter of Zearah and Betty Jackson of Lake City and the granddaughter of Zeffie Daniels and the late Willis Daniels, and the late Zearah and Lillie Jackson, all of Jasper.

        

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