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| 01/22/2005 | Hedquist’s Tunnel of Love | Skeleton athlete Chris Hedquist (Salt Lake City Utah, Brigham Young University) calls those icy labyrinths used for bobsleigh, luge and skeleton his “tunnel of love.” His 75 mph ride, with chin a mere two-inches above the surface, he describes as nothing more than a “quiet symphony.”
Would somebody please wake him should they invent anything more thrilling one day? But so it goes for one of the fastest rising skeleton athletes in the world. Nothing scares him and when you can ride a medal torpedo headfirst down a icy slope with your hands behind your back, why would it?
He’s been sliding down ice since he was 12, beginning in luge as a junior slider. But three years ago, fresh off a Mormon mission and frustrated about not getting anywhere, he gave skeleton a go.
He jumped in head first, so to speak, and isn’t looking back. Describing his first time on a skeleton, he proclaims, “You know that feeling you get when you jump off a cliff, that feeling in your stomach. Well, that’s what it was like for the first minute down, and I’m just laughing the whole way because it was so great. Nothing quite compares to that adrenaline.” You don’t say. The thought here is that it wouldn’t be laughs coming from others on their first time.
Since that first initial plunge, Hedquist has been making a name for himself in the sport. In his first competitive year, he finished fourth at the World Junior Championships and last year he finished third at the 2004 National Championships and won the Europa Cup, a Triple A version of the World Cup tour.
This year he was a mere .04 seconds away from earning a spot on the U.S. World Cup Team. With a eight to nine sliders in the U.S. all almost equal, Chris hopes the Winter World University Games and this season will help him continue his rise up the sport.
As you might have guessed, his other passions and hobbies are adrenalin-fixated. His true passion is skiing, and he was a downhill mountain bike racer at the age of 16. He also likes to rock climb and wakeboard.
But there is a quieter side to Hedquist. “My second sport is watching CSPAN,” he states. Majoring in political science at Brigham Young University, Hedquist wants to someday become an international relations consultant. This summer he did an internship with California Congressman Tom Lantos, working mostly in the human rights caucus and as a liaison with the Danish embassy.
But for now, his passion lies in racing and in becoming the best. He loves skeleton for not only the adrenalin kick he gets from it, but also the way it challenges his mind each and every day.
“I like the mental challenge of the sport and to know that the physical aspects are important but not the sole most important factor to success. There’s such a small margin for error and you have to be in control of it all,” said Hedquist.
That goes for the equipment he has as well and that’s where “Lucy” comes in. You see, “Lucy” is the name of Hedquist’s sled that he designed piece-by-piece himself. When wins and losses are determined by 1/100ths of a second, you have to be particular about your equipment, and he’s no exception.
“I value my sled more than my own car,” said Hedquist.
At $3,000, his sled, made up of steel and a carbon fiber pod to make it look pretty, is used to support him and his chances for victory. That’s why he’ll spend time lying on it, going nowhere, but still visualizing the track he’s to race. He’s also a neurotic “taper” as he tapes down loose parts of his sled so he’s assured they won’t flap in the breeze and cost him valuable time. He’ll also be sure to pat his sled twice just before launch as if to give his sled the “let’s go” signal.
What may look to the casual observer as a headfirst, free-for-all down the ice is really comprised of a series of small body movements adjusting to the turns or idiosyncrasies of a track. Contrary to the feeling most would have at such high speeds, the best skeleton riders are the ones most relaxed and without any real body movement. Yet still, they’re gradually guiding their sled down the course with twitches and twinges that the sleds and tubular runners react to in attempt to find the fastest way down.
In the end, it’s a ride that infatuates Hedquist, and given his results, let’s hope he keeps making a “quiet symphony” out of thrasher metal.
American Chris Hedquist Claims Gold At World University Games Skeleton Race |
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