Delaney: Doubles team gets it started for USA

The American doubles team of Brian Martin and Mark Grimmette medaled for the first time in more than a season Friday and the men were more than grateful for the third-place on their home track. In the afternoon, Remsen's Erin Hamlin won the women's singles title in front of more than 100 friends and family. But it was the American tandem that got the day started.

Martin and Grimmette finished in 1:27.611, behind a gold-medal winning team from Italy and a Germany team that took the bronze.

"It's hard to say we thought we'd be on podium," Martin said. "The focus was about having two runs that put you in contention."

The last time the duo medaled was a World Cup stop two years ago in Igls, Austria. This was their sixth World Championship medal.

Grimmette said the bronze medal might mean a lot for the USA team as it moves through the competition in a sport dominated by Europeans.

"It lets the team know we've got speed and we have a chance at a good placing," Grimmette said.

Grimmette pulled a muscle in his back a couple of weeks ago during competition in Altenberg, Germany and wasn't able to work on starts until Monday.

"As you get older, it gets harder to keep yourself in great shape," said Grimmette, 37.

Grimmette and Martin won a silver medal at the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City.