Skeleton, Women

Women’s skeleton was relatively new, and an international World Cup circuit had only existed since 1996. The first World Championships were held in 2000, with Steffi Hanzlik (Germany) and Maya Pedersen (Switzerland) winning the first two titles. Both were also among the medal candidates in Salt Lake City, together with the 2001 and 2002 World Cup winner, Britain’s Alex Coomber. But Tristan Gale upset the established sliders. The Salt Lake City resident had only experienced skeleton for the first time at a bobsleigh tryout in 2001, and had debuted on the World Cup in the Olympic season. Not having finished better than 8th before the Olympics, she won the first heat and consolidated her lead in the second descent. The silver medallist was, equally unexpected, her teammate Lea Ann Parsley. Parsley had been competing since 1998 and had won podium places at World Cup races. At the opening ceremony, she had been selected to carry the American flag from the World Trade Center along with 7 other athletes.