From 9 a.m. to noon on Tuesday and Wednesday, some of the world’s best bobsledders and skeleton racers will be competing at the Utah Olympic Park.  USA Bobsled/Skeleton is bringing its team selection races back to town. While the competition is sometimes in Lake Placid, New York, the organiza tion likes for it to be at the Utah Olympic Park because of the track’s high speeds and flow for drivers.  The races will be a large part of the puzzle as the organization selects its teams for the World Cup, Europe Cup and North American Cup circuits this winter. The World Cup is the most prestigious bobsledding and skeleton racing tour. While the Europe and North American cup circuits are both secondary to the World Cup tour, it is often beneficial for athletes to race on tracks in Europe that host more World Cups and Olympics.  Races on both days are free for fans to attend. They can park in the main Olympic Park lot and walk up toward the track. The races will also be streaming on the park’s YouTube page: youtube.com/@UtahOlympicPark.  The athletes are already in the area for training, some of which can be seen on the park’s YouTube.  “These races are really the first step in making the Olympic Games,” said head bobsled coach Chris Vogt. “Even though it’s three-and-a-half years away, this qualifies athletes to make the World Cup (circuit), and making the World Cup is what qualifies them for the Olympic team.” Vogt said there will be athletes like Utahn Kaysha Love and Azaria Hill, who finished in fifth place in the two-women bobsled competition at the Milano Cortina Games, and those just beginning in the sport at the races. He estimated that there will be about 25 women and 30 men competing, with about a third of each being selected for the World Cup team. The remaining athletes will be chosen for the Europe and North American cup teams.  “That’s one of the best parts about being here at the start of the season,” Vogt said. “(Many of the athletes) are going down the track for the first time. … It’s such an awesome thing to watch them experience this amazing sport.” Vogt is from Alpine and ran track in college for Utah Valley University. He said he was approached at a track meet at Brigham Young University and asked if he’d like to try out bobsled. Vogt went on to compete in three Olympics. Vogt’s journey to the sport is not dissimilar to Hill’s, a former sprinter at Long Beach State University and University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Love invited her to try out the sport in late 2023. Track athletes make good bobsledders because they can create the speed and force required for the start of bobsled races.  “I’m super excited to be competing,” Hill said. “Especially after our Olympic year … I’m super excited to be getting back into the sled, seeing how we do and having the opportunity to be chosen for another World Cup team and go through another season.” Hill has made the World Cup team every season of her career. She’s ready to get more reps on the 2034 Olympic track and put her offseason training to use. Hill believes it’s great for the sport that the teams have more athletes this season.  “I’m very excited and optimistic about that,” Hill said. “I think it’s going to not only raise the bar and standard for our sport, but I think it’s going to bring in a lot more talent. … With these new standards and talent coming in and our recruiting getting better and better, I think our USA program definitely has a lot of potential to be really great.” Hill believes some of the coolest things that fans can see next week are the speed of the sports, the behind-the-scenes aspects like moving the sleds around and the natural beauty of the Olympic Park. She said the athletes are generally accessible, too, and that people can meet them and ask them questions about the sport.  For any additional information about USA Bobsled/Skeleton, see its website: usabs.com. The post US bobsled and skeleton teams hold team trial races in Park City appeared first on Park Record. ...read more read less