Varsity Track Teammates Melissa Lotholz and Leah Walkeden Launch Track to 2026 in Seventh at Bobsleigh World Cup

ALTENBERG, Ger.— Two varsity track and field teammates – Melissa Lotholz and Leah Walkeden – are bringing their Alberta energy together on the bobsleigh journey to Milano/Cortina 2026.

The former University of Alberta Pandas standouts kicked off the pre-Olympic two-woman bobsleigh season with a seventh-place finish in their first race together at the World Cup in Altenberg, Germany.

“We are happy with today. We were really process oriented, focusing on good pushes, driving good lines and continuing to improve,” said Lotholz, who piloted the Canadian sled to a two-run time of 1:53.81.

The top Canucks on the day were in 10th spot after their first run down the gnarly 17-corner track in Altenberg. Improving their start time in the final heat by .04 seconds shot them three spots up the standings with the sixth-fastest down time in their second attempt.

“Having my first race with Mel on the World Cup was so fun,” beamed Walkeden who added that strong training runs helped calm some of demons she had felt returning to Altenberg where she was part of two crashes. “I was so excited to race this morning. We pushed really well together in the Ice House this summer, so I’m pleased that we were able to get it done at the start today, and go even faster on the second run after making some changes.”

Walkeden and Lotholz will look to build on the chemistry established through their long sport history together – a journey that began with them running track and field against each other in grade school, evolving into being teammates on the University of Alberta Pandas, and coincidentally now on the Canadian Bobsleigh Team.

“Leah and I have come together great. We do have a long history together, and it’s been fun reuniting in bobsleigh,” added Lotholz. “I know Leah can take care of business, and I trust and respect her to do her job at the start and when it comes to sled work. She trusts me to do mine. We have quickly fell into a rhythm together and found that we are motivated by similar things and values.”

Having her Panda teammate providing the support and velocity in the back of the sled is important for Lotholz, a two-time Olympian who is making her way back into elite racing after returning to bobsleigh with a condensed schedule on the development circuit last season that followed a year off from sport to recharge.

“I haven’t been on these European tracks since the Olympic season, so I feel like I’m relearning them all a bit,” added Lotholz, who was a medal-winning brakewoman herself before jumping into the pilot seat after her Olympic debut in PyeongChang. “I do feel like I made progress here in Altenberg. It is a really technical track so to be still shaking off the rust, and finish seventh, is great.”

The Canadians will continue to focus on the process while trying to close the gap on the dominant German sleds who swept the World Cup two-woman podium on Sunday.

Laura Nolte and Deborah Levi were tops on the day with a golden time of 1:52.14. Lisa Buckwitz and Neele Schuten slid to the silver medal at 1:52.79, while Kim Kalicki and Lauryn Siebert completed the sweep with a time of 1:52.83.

Cynthia Appiah, who has impressive monobob track record with a handful of medals on the 1,413-metre Altenberg track, was looking to bring that success with her into the two-woman race where she joined forces with Skylar Sieben – a rookie from Cochrane, Alta. who joined the program from the sport of heptathlon.

The Canadian duo clocked-in at 1:54.16 for the final spot in the top-10.

The Canadians will now travel to Sigulda, Latvia for the second stop on the World Cup season.

Complete Altenberg World Cup Two-Woman Results

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 – Karbon, Athabasca Oil Corporation in collaboration with Canada Actions I Love Energy, Joe Rocket and Driving Force – along with the Government of Canada, Own the Podium and the Canadian Olympic Committee, Bobsleigh CANADA Skeleton develops champions in the community, on and off the track, who have a passion for bobsleigh and skeleton. Please visit us at www.bobsleighcanadaskeleton.ca.