Guardsmen lead U.S. bobsled teams this weekend; Teela scratches from 20K biathlon

By Tim Hipps
National Guard Bureau

In this file photo, bobsled pilot Sgt. Mike Kohn (front right) of the Virginia National Guard, leads his four-man squad at the start of a U.S. World Cup Team Trials race in 2009. Each of the three U.S. bobsled teams are piloted by former or current National Guard members. (Photo by Tim Hipps)
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WHISTLER, British Columbia, Canada (2/19/10) - Each of the three men's U.S. bobsled teams will be piloted by a current or former National Guard member here at the Olympics this weekend.

Sgt. John Napier of the Vermont National Guard, Sgt. Mike Kohn of the Virginia National Guard and Steven Holcomb, a former member of the Utah National Guard, resumed their training here at Whistler Sliding Center Feb. 17.

"This is amazing," said Napier, who is scheduled to drive USA II with Steve Langton aboard. "It feels great to be sliding again, especially on this track. It's so fast and so fun. I love driving here. It's one of the most incredible feelings to guide a sled down this course. I can't wait to do it again tomorrow."

Napier arrived in Canada on Feb. 8 and spent several days in Vancouver, where he attended the opening ceremonies for the XXI Olympic Winter Games. He said it made him yearn to become a life-long Olympian.

On the eve of his return to a bobsled track, Napier discussed the pre-competitive Olympic experience.

"Fifteen years of hard work to get here," he said. "I told a lot of people I would go through 10 times the troubles and sufferings to make it to this point now that I know what it's about. I was fighting for something before I really knew what it was and didn't know what it was for. But now I know."

"Now I've witnessed it, and I'm like, 'Man, I'm hungry to keep going more, too.' I want four more Olympics after this. Being here all week and seeing the atmosphere and all the help of the volunteers and just to see how large of an operation it is and how small a piece of the puzzle we are is kind of cool."

"The ceremony was the big point that really stood out and said, 'Wow, you've made it.'"

His brief time out of the sled, however, made Napier itch to get back to work on Wednesday.

"We need to be on ice; we're bobsledders," said Napier. "Being here and having to wait for several days was difficult, so it feels amazing being here (at the track) tonight."

Kohn will drive USA III. "I love this track," he said. "I really feel like this track suits my driving style well. I'll be honest, I was a little nervous, but we're from the U.S. and we don't back down from a challenge."

"I had a lot of help from the coaches and the other drivers, plus Todd Hays shared some of his lines with me. This track isn't nearly as difficult as I thought. I just need to dial it in and iron a few things out."

Holcomb, the reigning four-man world champion, will drive USA I with Curt Tomasevicz aboard.

"This is fantastic," Holcomb said. "The ice is smooth and in great condition. It's what you expect Olympic ice to be. It feels so nice to be back on ice again because we've been waiting around for 10 days for this moment. It's nice to get after it again."

The bobsledders will make two more training runs down the track today. Competition is set for two heats on both Saturday night and Sunday afternoon, followed by the medal ceremony at 7 p.m., on Sunday.

Teela scratches from 20K biathlon event

By Lt. Col. Ellen Krenke
National Guard Bureau

ARLINGTON, Va., (2/19/10) - Vermont National Guard member Jeremy Teela was a late scratch from the men's 20-kilometer individual biathlon race at Vancouver's Olympic Games yesterday.

"Sinus problems this morning I won't be (starting) today sorry folks I'm bummed too but cheer on Wynn Roberts in his first Olympic race," Teela announced on his Twitter account.

He was replaced by Wynn Roberts, team spokeswoman Viktoria Franke confirmed. Tim Burke was the top American finisher in the race at 45th. Roberts finished 86th.

After missing the race, Teela fell from 24th to 28th in the standings, but he tweeted, "Still in the top 30 for the mass start!"

He is expected to compete in the final mens' biathlon event, the 15-kilomater mass start, on Sunday.

Teela's ninth-place finish in the men's 10K on Feb. 14 was the best by an American at any Winter Games. He finished 24th in the 12.5-kilometer biathlon pursuit race on Wednesday.

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