Canadian Bobsledders Win Gold and Bronze in Germany
WINTERBERG, Ger.—Canada’s bobsleigh athletes extended their medal-winning trail into Germany by winning the gold and bronze medals.
Calgary’s Kaillie Humphries extended her torrid streak to seven straight victories after winning the women’s race, while Lyndon Rush, of Humboldt, Sask., piloted the Canada 1 two-man sled to the World Cup podium for the second-straight week by winning the bronze medal in Winterberg, Germany.
After winning the last six races in North America, including the first three this year with rookie brakeman, Chelsea Valois of Zenon Park, Sask., the 27-year-old Humprhies continued one of the most impressive victory streaks in amateur sport by claiming her fourth straight gold of the pre-Olympic season, and eighth straight race, which also includes the World Championship title last February. Humphries and Valois clocked a golden time of 1:54.05.
“I am very happy to keep the streak going in Germany,” said Humphries. “I think that was very important for me. I haven’t always had a lot of success in Winterberg because it is so weather dependent here. The weather was perfect and we had good pushes and good runs today.”
It was Humphries’ eighth career World Cup victory to go along with her Olympic and World Championship titles, bringing her career World Cup medal total to 15.
“I had a lot of confidence going into the race, but the weather can can change everything,” added Humphries. “Chelsea and I had two of our best starts to go along with two good runs down the track so I’m happy with how things turned out.”
Valois’ start in the sport of bobsleigh is equally impressive. Since being nudged by her track and field teammates at the University of Regina to try bobsleigh this fall, the 25-year-old remains unbeaten, having pushed Humphries to a national title and four straight World Cup victories in her five competitive starts.
Elana Meyers and Katie Eberling, of the United States, finished second at 1:54.15, while Germany’s Anja Schneiderheinze and Stephanie Schneider slid to the bronze with a time of 1:54.19.
Edmonton’s Jenny Ciochetti and Calgary’s Kate O’Brien finished 12th in the Canada 2 sled at 1:54.74.
Canada’s Lyndon Rush is putting together a little medal-winning steak of his own as the Canadian trail to the podium continued in the men’s two-man bobsleigh race. The 32-year-old Rush, who won the silver two weeks ago in Whistler, B.C. with Lascelles Brown, teamed up with 30-year-old Jesse Lumsden, of Burlington, Ont., to win the bronze after posting a combined time of 1:51.41. It was the fourth World Cup medal for the Canadian duo, since teaming up last year.
“We normally find the Winterberg track really difficult, but our runs worked out really well today,” said Rush. “I\'d like to say a big thank you to my whole team.”
It was the fourth two-man, and eighth overall World Cup medal of Rush’s career to go along with his Olympic bronze and World Championship silver medal that he won with Lumsden last year in Lake Placid, N.Y.
Beat Hefti and Tomas Lamparter won the gold in Winterberg with a time of 1:51.01 in the Switzerland 1 sled. Russia’s Alexander Zubkov and Dmitry Trunenkov captured the silver at 1:51.32.
Canada 2 pilot, Chris Spring, grabbed the final spot in the top-10 with Saskatoon’s Ben Coakwell after clocking a time of 1:52.15. Justin Kripps, of Summerland, B.C., welcomed Hamilton Tiger-Cat Sam Giguere in his Canada 3 sled. With Giguere making his World Cup debut, the newly formed duo finished 12th at 1:52.26.
The World Cup continues on Sunday with the men’s four-man races.
Bobsleigh CANADA Skeleton is a non-profit organization and the national governing body for the sports of bobsleigh and skeleton in Canada. With the support of its valued corporate partners – Dow Chemical, Adidas, KBC Helmets, Eurotech – Viking Engineering, SAIT Polytechnic, Conceptum Sport Logistics, Therapeutica – along with the Government of Canada, Canadian Olympic Committee and Own the Podium, Bobsleigh CANADA Skeleton develops Olympic and world champions. Please visit us at www.bobsleighcanadaskeleton.ca.
Complete Results: www.fibt.com
Top-Five Women’s Bobsleigh Results:
1. Humphries, Calgary/Valois, Zenon Park, Sask., CAN 1, 1:54.05; 2. Meyers/Eberling, USA 2, 1:54.15; 3. Schneiderheinze/Schneider, GER 3, 1:54.19; 4. Greubel/Azevedo, USA 3, 1:54.23; 5. Kamphuis/VIS, NED 1, 1:54.26
Other Canadian Results:
12. Ciochetti, Edmonton/O’Brien, Calgary, CAN 2, 1:54.74
Top-Five Two-Man Bobsleigh Results:
1. Hefti/Lamparter, SUI 2, 1:51.01; 2. Zubkov/Trunenkov, RUS 1, 1:51.32; 3. Rush, Humboldt, Sask./Lumsden, Burlington, Ont., CAN 1, 1:51.41; 4. Florschuetz/Kuske, GER 1, 1:51.49; 5. Holcomb/Tomasevicz, USA 1, 1:51.83
Other Canadian Results:
10. Spring, Calgary/Coakwell, Saskatoon, CAN 2, 1:52.15; 12. Kripps, Summerland, B.C./Giguere, Sherbrooke, Que., CAN 3, 1:52.26.
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