Luxembourg Wort: Skeleton racer Bauer practices the Olympic curve. Feb 2020

Luxembourger Wort has published an excellent article. Please open wort.lu

TRANSLATION

It was a setback that Jeff Bauer coped with with ease: “Despite all the precautionary measures I was infected with Covid-19 in Königssee,” says the 47-year-old skeleton pilot.

“I did a test and it was my fifth time to switch to another track. It was positive. ” The ten days of quarantine in a hotel at the ice arena in Bavaria went symptom-free for Bauer. “I was lucky. Two good friends of mine lost their fathers to Corona. ”

After the infection, the Luxembourger by choice spent the Christmas holidays in Park City in the United States. Before the stage in Königssee, Bauer had trained in Innsbruck (A) with the Swiss national skeleton team and in Altenberg (D) with the Spanish national skeleton team.

These three racetracks are particularly important for the learning process – also with a view to the Olympic Winter Games in Beijing in February 2022: “The tracks have a roundabout, a 360-degree curve that does not exist in the USA,” reveals the member the elite sports section of the COSL (Comité olympique et sportif luxembourgeois) .

“It is very difficult to control the waves. If you don’t have the right timing, the mistakes in the corner will get worse. ”The exercise is important because the Olympic track in China, which is still under construction, will also have a roundabout.

In January, Bauer is going back to Altenberg to continue training. The first competition is also on the program a little later on the ice channel in the Ore Mountains. At the same time, ski racer Matthieu Osch and short tracker Peter Murphy will also try to get into position for Beijing 2022.

MENTAL.LU VIDEO | CORONA VIRUS by Jeff Bauer

Containment, restrictions … Like us, athletes are undergoing the upheavals due to the corona virus epidemic. Contacted by Mental, they wanted to give you their news and above all bring you strength and courage for the future!

Every day, our champions will come and say a few words to you. This morning, it’s Jeff Bauer from Utah in the USA who tells you how he lives this period.

TRANSLATION OF THE VIDEO

My name is Jeff Bauer. I have competed for Luxembourg as a Skeleton athlete for the past 4 seasons including 2 world championships and 1 world cup competition.   I live and train in Park City, Utah where I work full time. I am an engineer.  

 

All of the restaurants, stores, gyms, and non-essential businesses are closed but due to the nature of my work, I am required to go into the office every day.   

Because the gym where I normally train is now closed, I am trying to create a gym in my garage to continue my training.  But as you can see it is empty.  Everyone else had the same great idea and now there is very little equipment in stock.  I placed an order 2 weeks ago and I am waiting very patiently for it to arrive.

I have learned a lot about the strength of the human spirit when faced with dangerous challenges.  I have learned to face them head first, full speed ahead.  The world is now faced with the challenge of defeating a dangerous, invisible competitor.  I am confident the strength of the human spirit will join forces to defeat this deadly virus full speed ahead.

To all of my friends in Luxembourg and throughout the world:  May you and your families be well during this difficult time.