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(December
23, 2001) Bakken
And Flowers Nominated To Compete In
2002 Olympic Bobsled Competition SALT
LAKE CITY, UT (December 23, 2001) Pilot
Jill Bakken and brakeman Vonetta Flowers captured a nomination to the 2002
Olympic Winter Games following the Verizon Championship Series and Olympic
Trials staged in Park City, Utah, yesterday evening. Pending approval of the
US Olympic Committee, Bakken and Flowers will compete in the premiere
women’s sport event to take place in February on the US home bobsled track
in Utah. Charging
off the start with the best push times of the race at 5.37 and 5.39,
Bakken’s combined finish time was 1:38:31. She closely challenged leader
Jean Racine’s performance, which ended only .14 under Bakken’s. “This
track is like home to me,” said Bakken, a Utah resident who lives year-round
in Park City, “I have a focus here that improves each time I drive. This
season I’m taking one goal at a time, and I’ll work hard to hit the next
one…an Olympic medal.” Earlier
this month, controversy surrounded the US Women’s Bobsled team when US
leading drivers Racine and Bakken changed brakemen in the eleventh hour of the
season, after the German team dominated the US on the World Cup tour. Bakken
picked up top-ranked Vonetta Flowers, champion of the 2001 pre-season,
national push trials. “I’m
really thrilled,” said Flowers of the victory, “but this is just a ticket
to the Games. Now the real work begins, and I’m ready to break records.” The
Olympic Women’s Bobsled Event will premiere at the 2002 Olympic Winter Games
on February 19 in Park City, Utah. For further information on Jill Bakken and
the US Women’s Bobsled season, visit www.steelandice.com. [Souce:
INTERNET WIRE, Lois Hollan, Phone: 202 333-4568, Cell: 202 413-0739
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