Dec. 12, 2004 — St. Johnians Troy Billington, Chutney Mohler and Alexa Putnam completed competition this weekend in skeleton racing in Altenburg, Germany.
The skeleton is a head-first slide down an ice track. The racers are just inches off the ice while lying on a 70-pound steel sled, according to press materials.
Both girls earned a ranking in the women's division of the Europacup. Mohler finished 22nd, Putnam 24th. This was the girls' first-ever race. Billington was 35th in the men's division.
Mohler and Putnam are juniors at the St. John School. They are two of dozens of young Virgin Islanders Billington has introduced to Olympic sports for both the winter and summer. Billington's "Building Bridges" program has been developed over the past four years, according to the release.
This bobsled and skeleton ice track at Altenberg is considered the most dangerous in the world. It has 17 corners and the racers reach speeds of over 70 mph. Currently the Virgin Islands are ranked 12th in the European Cup Competition.
The athletes will race again next week in Innsbruck, Austria.