TRANSLATION
Sledding for the Advanced
Skeleton
In Luxembourg, the sport of skeleton is still virtually unknown. But last week, for the first time, a Luxembourger plunged down the ice track at the World Championships.
A deep breath, a brief moment of inner reflection. Jeff Bauer wants—indeed, needs—to channel all the emotions surging through his body. The biggest race of his still-young career is about to begin: the World Championships at Königssee in Germany.
The light is still red. Only now does it really sink in: “I’m going to compete in a World Championship!”
Green.
An explosive start, a sprint of a few meters, and then he dives headfirst into the ice track. Just two centimeters separate his chin from the hard, icy surface. Sled and athlete become one. His instincts take control.
At speeds of up to 140 kilometers per hour, adrenaline is his constant companion. Every curve presents a risk. Fear rides along with him, but it cannot be allowed to take over.
The Königssee track is new to Jeff Bauer. A crucial curve lies ahead. His sled slips slightly, resulting in a significant loss of speed. He reaches the finish safely, with only one thought on his mind: his time.
Skeleton is still a largely unknown sport in Luxembourg. The discipline, which first became an Olympic sport in 1928, could nevertheless be on the verge of a breakthrough. A Luxembourger competing in a World Championship in a winter sport is a relatively rare occurrence.
The sport—in which the objective is to travel down an ice track on a sled as quickly as possible—has traditionally been dominated above all by one nation: the United States.
So it is perhaps no coincidence that the man bringing the sport to Luxembourg was born in the United States in 1974. Jeff Bauer, who as a young man had already played for Luxembourg’s national basketball team, now competes internationally as Luxembourg’s first skeleton racer.
Because his father and grandfather worked in Luxembourg for many years—and Jeff himself spent ten years of his youth in the country—a close bond developed that never disappeared, even after he returned to the United States.
While living in Utah several years ago, Jeff discovered a new athletic challenge almost by accident. For Jeff, skeleton was love at first run.
Shortly after venturing onto an ice track for the first time, he knew immediately that he wanted to devote himself completely to the sport.
Because of his positive experiences with Luxembourg’s national basketball team, the decision to represent Luxembourg in skeleton came easily to him. Before every race, he takes pride in being able to compete under the Luxembourg flag.
It is an honor he probably would never have experienced at a World Championship as part of the internationally dominant American team.
“Give it all or nothing.” — Jeff Bauer
Skeleton Was Love at First Run
For the committed 43-year-old athlete, however, this is about more than simply competing in a few races himself.
With the help of the FLSG (Fédération Luxembourgeoise des Sports de Glace), he was even able to put together a Luxembourg skeleton team.
To this day, the team is coached by former Austrian Olympian Markus Penz. Alongside Jeff, two motivated newcomers, Joe Schiltges and Tom Sliepen, are also waiting for their opportunity.
Jeff describes the process of putting the team together as relatively easy because it was straightforward to make contact with people already involved in the sport.
He repeatedly emphasizes the importance of the FLSG. The IBSF (International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation) also welcomed him with open arms and supported him in his undertaking.
In his view, the next “challenge” is to continue expanding the Luxembourg team.
Looking to the future, the ambitious sports enthusiast reveals his goal: to become one of the top 60 skeleton racers in the world.
Jeff Bauer is currently ranked 88th. If he can improve by the desired 28 places, he could even be eligible to compete for Luxembourg at the Olympic Games.
His recipe for success and his motivation are his love of the sport and, above all, the enjoyment he gets from training. Added to that is his motto:
“Give it all or nothing.”
The focused new Luxembourger, who has officially held citizenship since 2016, seems determined not to let anything divert him from his path.
However, in a sport such as skeleton, the risk of injury must never be underestimated. So far Jeff has avoided any serious injuries, even though abrasions and contact with the wall are part of the sport.
He admits that he has also been fortunate up to this point. Rare but possible head injuries are particularly feared in skeleton. For this reason, every athlete must undergo an extensive head and brain examination in preparation for a new season.
World Championships at Königssee
The World Championships at Königssee in Germany are clearly the highlight of his still-young career.
The competition took place over two days, with two runs each day. On the first day, Jeff was particularly pleased with his second run:
“The second run was much better. I only had to make corrections a few times, but I hit some very good lines.”
In his first run, however, a slight slide cost him valuable time.
After the first day of racing, Jeff also criticized his setup—the adjustments made to his sled to suit the particular track. He attributes the problem to his lack of experience.
He was in 41st place out of 44 competitors.
“I hope to make up a few places tomorrow because I know I can go faster.”
The cheerful and consistently optimistic athlete proved himself right: eight seconds faster.
Despite producing a run eight seconds faster, however, he was unable to improve his position and finished the World Championships in 41st place.
In the end, though, happiness, pride, and a desire for more prevailed:
“It is important to me to be a good ambassador for the country, and I take that role very seriously.”
Following the first appearance by a Luxembourger at a Skeleton World Championship, he wants to continue improving, strengthen the rest of Luxembourg’s skeleton team, and hopefully soon compete in the World Cup series.
Photo caption
Small but strong: The Luxembourg team with Jeff Bauer, Joe Schiltges, Markus Penz and Tom Sliepen. 09_SKELETON Revue 2017