Melissa Lotholz and Skylar Sieben Team Up for Bobsleigh Bronze in World Cup Final
LILLEHAMMER, Nor.—Team Canada made a last-minute decision to change up the brakewoman position in Melissa Lotholz’s sled and the gamble paid off. Lotholz joined forces with Skylar Sieben to win the bronze medal in the final World Cup race of the season.
Lotholz, a two-time Olympian from Barrhead, Alta., has slid all season with her University of Alberta Pandas track teammate, Leah Walkeden, on the brakes. Battling illness all week, Walkeden made the decision on Sunday to sit the race out in an attempt to provide Team Canada the best chance to deliver a podium result. The noble act provided an opportunity for Sieben, who was not scheduled to race, to get the start.
“This is a medal for our entire team,” said an emotional Lotholz. “That generous and selfless decision by Leah to not be in the sled today, and let Skylar race, is exactly the culture we are trying to build here. Bobsleigh really takes a team to get onto the podium. Everyone has a job to do. It could be driving the sled, pushing the sled or even being at the finish like Leah was today to help us with clothes and moving sleds after making this decision with the best interest of the team in mind. I am so proud of Skylar, Leah and the entire program today. Everyone contributed to this result.”
The last-minute switch paid off. Lotholz and Sieben (Cochrane, Alta.) clocked a two-run time of 1:44.70 to slide onto the final spot of the podium.
“It is so exciting to be on the podium,” said Lotholz, who hadn’t won an official World Cup medal since 2017. “Skylar really stepped up to the plate today. We had never been down the hill together and were practicing our timing in the start house earlier. It really is a team effort. We have to trust each other regardless of our job. Skylar stepped up and executed two great runs. It couldn’t have been better.”
It was the first podium for Lotholz in her 20 World Cup starts as a pilot. The two-time Olympian has 19 World Cup and World Championship medals as a brakewoman. The podium breakthrough caps off a rookie season in fashion for Sieben who joined the national bobsleigh program this summer from the sport of heptathlon.
“I was so pumped to be able to show up for Melissa and Leah today when then needed it,” said Sieben. “I was happy with my pushes. Mel and I were able to practice a few timings in the start house and then just went for it. I’m proud of Melissa and happy to have played a small part in her podium performance.”
The Canadians found instant chemistry posting fifth place pushes in their two starts on the 1,710-metre chute that played host to the 1994 Olympic Winter Games.
The 32-year-old Lotholz had the Canucks in podium contention after navigated the third-fastest time down the 16-corner test in the opening run.
“Skylar stepped up to the plate and delivered today. She had never been in this position before. So much can get in your head when you are in a podium position after the first run. She remained calm, never lost focus and we were able to have two great runs,” said Lotholz. “At the start, you’re zoned in, but I could hear all of our teammates cheering for us on the side which was really cool. I have so much appreciation for both Skylar and Leah, and team today.
“This is also my first time competing here. It’s been fun learning the track. I like that challenge of learning a track. You become more focused on the process which is a good thing. It’s a flowy track where you can pump speed out of corners. It’s really fun.”
Two German sleds finished ahead of the Canadians. Laura Nolte and Deborah Levi took the gold medal with a time of 1:43.74. Lisa Buckwitz and Neele Schuten clocked-in at 1:43.94 for second place.
The podium performance caps off a stellar weekend for the Canadian women. Skylar Sieben had only been down a bobsleigh track with one pilot, Cynthia Appiah. On Saturday, Appiah broke the podium ice for the Canadians when she celebrated the silver in the monobob race.
“This is a confidence booster for sure and good timing for the program heading into World Championships,” added Lotholz. “It’s no secret that we have been struggling as a program this year. The fact we medalled here two days in a row shows we have been focused on the process and are building momentum.”
Appiah teamed up with Morgan Ramsay (Rivers, Man.) for 11th spot on Sunday with a combined time of 1:45.34. Erica Voss (Toronto) and Ottawa’s Charlotte Ross placed 15th at 1:46.37.
A veteran crew from Ontario – Mike Evelyn O’Higgins (Ottawa) along with CFLers Keaton Bruggeling (Ottawa) and Shaq Murray-Lawrence (Scarborough, Ont.), pushed pilot Pat Norton (Ottawa) to 13th in the men’s four-man race. The Canadians stopped the clock at 1:40.75.
Veteran Canadian pilot and World Cup four-man medallist, Taylor Austin (Lethbridge, Alta.), Yohan Eskrick-Parkinson (Calgary), Mark Zanette (Woodbridge, Ont.), and Cyrus Gray (Duncan, B.C.), finished one spot behind their teammates in 14th at 1:40.77.
Germany’s Johannes Lochner, Florian Bauer, Erec Bruckert and Georg Fleischhauer won the four-man gold with a time of 1:39.03.
Complete Two-Woman Results:
https://www.ibsf.org/en/result/504872/?cHash=6798369ba88082471df7ac4cd9d562c8
Complete Four-Man Results:
https://www.ibsf.org/en/result/504870/?cHash=27dd39c357f2ef10fe169b7d7672df35
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 – 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.