Kaillie Humphries Drives Canada 1 Women’s Bobsleigh to 15th Straight World Cup Podium
—Rush pilots Canada 1 men’s sled into a tie for sixth, Kripps solid in eighth—
PARK CITY, Utah—Make it 15 podium finishes in a row for Canada’s Kaillie Humphries.
The 28-year-old Calgarian teamed up with Heather Moyse, 35, of Summerside, P.E.I. for their second-straight podium finish in as many weeks after sliding to the silver medal at a World Cup bobsleigh stop in Park City, Utah on Friday night.
The reigning Olympic champions clocked a two-run time of one minute, 37.80 seconds (1:37.80).
“Kaillie had a couple of errors on her second run and was simply beaten by the better girl today,” said Tom De La Hunty, head coach, Canadian Bobsleigh Team.
The powerful Canucks were in position to win their second-straight gold after leading after their first blast down the 15-corner Park City. However, it was the Americans who stole the show when the dust finally settled after run two – stealing three of the top-four spots in the race.
Elana Meyers and Aja Evans overcame the Canada 1 sled with a two-run time of 1:37.67. Jamie Greubel and Katie Eberling slid to the bronze medal.
Despite finishing short of the winner’s circle, Humphries continued a historic run of medal-winning performances on icy chutes around the world that spans the last three years and includes 11 victories – two being World Championship titles – two silver and two bronze medals.
“Nobody has ever dominated the sport this way and likely won’t for years to come because I believe Kaillie will continue to dominate,” added De La Hunty. “Nobody has done anything like it – to podium like this every week. It is a very special accomplishment by a very special and gifted athlete.”
The Canada 2 team of Edmonton’s Jenny Ciochetti and Chelsea Valois, of Zenon Park, Sask., slid into 15th spot on Friday after punching the clock at 1:39.38.
Lyndon Rush, of Humboldt, Sask., teamed up with Calgary’s Lascelles Brown in the Canada 1 sled for the men’s two-man race where they finished in a tie for sixth with a time of 1:36.02.
Justin Kripps, of Summerland, B.C., had the two-man race of his life where he drove the Canada 3 sled to an eighth-place finish. Kripps joined forces with Edmonton’s Bryan Barnett to clock a time of 1:36.11, and his best two-man finish ever. Calgary’s Chris Spring and Jesse Lumsden, of Burlington, Ont., finished 12th at 1:36.25 in the Canada 2 sled.
Americans Steven Holcomb and Chris Fogt finished on top for the second straight week with a time of 1:35.51. Nick Cunningham and Dallas Robinson, also of the United States, celebrated the silver medal with a time of 1:35.76, while Germany’s Francesco Friedrich and Jannis Baecker teamed up for the bronze at 1:35.80
The top bobsleigh women on the planet will be back on the track to complete a double World Cup weekend, along with men’s four-man bobsleigh, in Park City on Saturday.
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 – Adidas, Eurotech – Viking Engineering, BMW Canada, The Globe and Mail, Conceptum Sport Logistics, Therapeutica – along with the Government of Canada, Own the Podium, the Canadian Olympic Committee and SAIT Polytechnic. 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. Elana Meyers/Aja Evans, USA 1, 1:37.67; 2. Kaillie Humphries, Calgary/Heather Moyse, Summerside, P.E.I., CAN 1, 1:37.80; 3. Jamie Greubel/Katie Eberling, USA 2, 1:37.86; 4. Jazmine Fenlator/Emily Azevedo, USA 3, 1:38.15; 5. Cathleen Martini/Franziska Fritz, GER 1, 1:38.25
Other Canadian Results:
15. Jenny Ciochetti, Edmonton/Chelsea Valois, Zenon Park, Sask., CAN 2, 1:39.38
Top-Five Men’s Two-Man Bobsleigh Results:
1. Steven Holcomb/Chris Fogt, USA 1, 1:35.51; 2. Nick Cunningham/Dallas Robinson, USA 2, 1:35.76; 3. Francesco Friedrich/Jannis Baecker, GER 1, 1:35.80; 4. Cory Butner/Charles Berkeley, USA 3, 1:35.93; 5. Beat Hefti/Alex Baumann, SUI 1, 1:35.95
Canadian Results:
T6. Lyndon Rush, Humboldt, Sask./Lascelles Brown, Calgary, CAN 1, 1:36.02; 8. Justin Kripps, Summerland, B.C./Bryan Barnett, Edmonton, CAN 3, 1:36.11; 12. Chris Spring, Calgary/Jesse Lumsden, Burlington, Ont., CAN 2, 1:36.25