The first World Cup bobsled and skeleton races are taking place Friday through Sunday in Cortina, Italy, serving as test events for the Olympic venue despite ongoing construction and no spectators.

Among the athletes is 2018 skeleton slider Kendall Wesenberg, who is aiming for an Olympic comeback this season after missing the 2022 Beijing Olympics and undergoing spinal surgery in 2023. Wesenberg shared her excitement about the atmosphere in Cortina.

"These games are gonna be so cool. They're in such an incredible location, it's beautiful. Everyone's happy. We're getting coffee, we call them 'sun caps.' We just go have a cappuccino in the sun after training. It's so fun, it's such a good vibe," Wesenberg said.

While the vibe is positive, the competition remains serious. These test events

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