Elana Meyers claimed the women’s U.S. national bobsled push championship title at Canada’s Olympic Park Ice House in Calgary, Canada today.
“We knew after last season that we had the most competitive group of push athletes for the women’s team heading into the Olympic year,” said Darrin Steele, U.S. Bobsled and Skeleton Federation CEO. “We just didn’t realize how much improvement all of the women would make as a group. This was a highly impressive and aggressive competition.”
Meyers made the world cup debut in her rookie season, and solidified herself as one of the world’s best push athletes during the 2008-09 season. Meyers pushed driver Shauna Rohbock to gold on the 2010 Olympic track at the world cup event in Whistler, British Columbia, and a world championship silver medal in Lake Placid, N.Y.
“Elana has always been a strong athlete with raw talent,” said Steele. “She has built on her talents from last season and made huge improvements in her technique. She has officially transitioned from an athlete with high potential into a world class push athlete.”
The athlete with the lowest combined time in two pushes was named push champion. Meyers powered off the starting block with the two fastest start times of the competition, a 5.40 and 5.41, to claim the title with a combined time of 10.81 seconds.
Michelle Rzepka (Novi, Mich.) finished just six-hundredths of a second from teammate Meyers with a total time of 10.87 seconds. Rzepka, who slid a bronze medal performance with driver Erin Pac in Whistler last season, pushed times of 5.44 and 5.43 seconds.
2006 Olympic silver medalist Valerie Fleming (Park City, Utah) was in the mix after pushing start times of 5.52 and 5.56 for a combined time of 11.08 seconds. Fleming pushed Rohbock to two medals last season, including gold in Königssee, Germany.
In fourth was Ingrid Marcum (Elmhurst, Ill.) with a total time of 11.11 seconds. Marcum is a dual athlete, splitting her time between bobsled and weightlifting, and most recently won the 69k snatch at weightlifting national championships.
Emily Azevedo (Chico, Calif.) finished fifth with a total time of 11.15. In sixth was Jamie Greubel (Newtown, Pa.) with a two push total of 11.16, and in seventh was Jazmine Fenlator (Wayne, N.J.) with a time of 11.71 seconds.
The U.S. Bobsled and Skeleton Federation would like to thank Experimental Design & Analysis Solutions, Inc./Ripxx (EDAS/RIPXX) for assisting the team today by providing testing services, equipment, analysis and reporting for the competition.
For additional information, please contact Amanda Bird, USBSF Marketing & Communications Manager, at (518) 523-1842, ext. 106, or abird@usbsf.com.

Results:

1. Elana Meyers 5.40, 5.41 (10.81); 2. Michelle Rzepka 5.44, 5.43 (10.87); 3. Valerie Fleming 5.52, 5.56 (11.08); 4. Ingrid Marcum 5.54, 5.57 (11.11); 5. Emily Azevedo 5.56, 559 (11.15); 6. Jamie Greubel 5.55, 5.61 (11.16); 7. Jazmine Fenlator 5.87, 5.84 (11.71);