LAKE PLACID, N.Y. — Olympic hopeful Greg West got a step closer to making the 2018 Winter Olympic team by securing a spot on the USA’s current World Cup Team. The son of Foley business owner Tammie Franz, West grabbed the No. 2 seat on the USA’s Skeleton (One-Man) sled team.

West won both Calgary, Canada races and posted top-three finishes in Lake Placid, New York recently to solidify his position on the World Cup squad. He now must continue to battle to keep his No. 2 position as one of the three 2018 USA skeleton starting racers.

The World Cup Team USA Bobsled, Skeleton athletes and their coaching staff are currently visiting Pyeongchang, South Korea where athletes around the world are testing the 2018 Olympic Track.

Franz, the owner of Incredible Candies, at Tanger Outlet in Foley, said her son just missed the World Cup team in 2014 by a mere two one-hundredths of a second.

“With ceaseless determination, steely drive and monumental hard work, fundraisers, sponsors (and more), he has been able to continue this sport throughout these following years,” she said. “All on his quest to garner a position and compete in The Winter Olympics.”

Selections began in Calgary, Canada and continued in Lake Placid through mid-October as athletes battled it out for a coveted spot on the World Cup and Intercontinental Cup tours.

“The Olympic season brings out the best in all the athletes,” said Darrin Steele, USA Bobsled & Skeleton CEO. “We saw some of the closest skeleton races we’ve seen in years and it was a real battle to make the team. It’s always exciting to see the proven veterans getting challenged by athletes moving up the rankings because it makes everyone better.”

It’s a pivotal year for athletes racing on the various tours. The 2018 Olympic Team is set to be announced on January 15 based on points earned throughout the season.

West grew up in Rogersville, Missouri, a suburb of Springfield, but it took moving to the Gulf Coast before he began thinking of competing in Olympic winter sports.

After graduating from Baker University in Baldwin City, Kansas, he moved to the Gulf Shores/Orange Beach area to begin his career in Sales and Marketing. As he and his friends were watching the 2010 Winter Olympics, he saw an advertisement that invited anyone having interest in the sport of Skeleton to fill out a survey. On a whim he completed the survey and soon was invited to a skeleton sliding school in Lake Placid. He proved to be a natural and was soon asked to move to Lake Placid in order to train full time, said Franz.

“As you can tell, we are extremely proud of our son,” she added. “It is a very exciting time for all of us. Most especially a young boy that grew up to do what most only dream of, representing the United States of America on the World Cup tour with a very real chance of competing in the Winter Olympics.”

West has a huge local following including many friends and family members, including his mom, step-dad (Joe Franz), grandparents (Robert Epperson & Mildred Whitaker), sister (Rianna West), and nephew (Mason West).

For more about Greg West see related links below to visit his website: GWSkeleton.com

For more about the US Bobsled-Skeleton teams Visit: TeamUSA.org/USABobsled-Skeleton.

Also follow on Twitter: @west_greg.

The World Cup Team USA Bobsled & Skeleton athletes, along with coaching staff are currently visiting Pyeongchang, S. Korea where athletes around the world are testing the Olympic Track.