Kim & Lee Lead Korean 1-2 in Women’s NAC Opener

From Whistler, CAN

(Nov. 4, 2017) Defending North American Cup champion Yooran Kim won the season opener with Minseong Kim on her brakes, edging teammate Seonhye Lee by .01 in the process.

Lee, the 2016/2017 NAC runner up, was out-pushed by her Korean teammate at the top and despite a great drive, she fell just short of a gold medal.

Chinese pilot Qing Ying and Canadian Julie Johnson tied for bronze.

Jazmine Fenlator-Victorian, sliding for Jamacia after years of sliding for the United States, finished fifth, .03 ahead of Brazilian Heather Suzanne Paes.

The Americans struggled in the NAC season opener, with Nicole Vogt finishing 11th, two spots ahead of Kristi Koplin. Koplin and brakewoman Nicole Brundgardt had the best push of the race, but trouble at the bottom of the run dropped the Americans to the bottom of the timing sheet.

The race was cut to one heat after an extended track hold.

Results:

Pos Names Nation Start Total
1 Kim / Kim KOR 5.39 53.47
2 Lee / Shin KOR 5.47 53.48
3 Johnson / Dagenais-Everell CAN 5.30 53.53
3 Ying / He CHN 5.35 53.53
5 Fenlator-Victorian / Russell JAM 5.29 53.98
6 Paes / Tuono BRA 5.38 54.01
7 Huai / Peng CHN 5.45 54.86
8 Walker / Werner AUS 5.76 55.50
9 Hauck / Lee CAN 5.35 57.59
10 Hol / Campbell CAN 5.65 57.83
11 Vogt / Kilis USA 5.40 58.79
12 Adigun / Onwumere NGR 7.76 59.17
13 Koplin / Brundgardt USA 5.27 1:01.70