Cynthia Appiah Fights for Fourth at Monobob World Championships
LAKE PLACID, USA—Cynthia Appiah battled to the very end in a two-day World Championship test, but when all of the best monobob sleds on the planet crossed the finish line for the last time, the Canadian was just shy of the podium in fourth place.
Appiah, who wrapped up the World Cup season with her lone silver medal, finished just three-tenths of a second off the podium on Sunday, clocking a combined time of 3:58.53.
“This result is bittersweet. I was hoping to get on the podium because Lake Placid is a track I’ve done so well in the monobob. This is the track where I first got introduced to the sport as a brakeman and where I also learned to drive,” said Appiah, who was competing in her fourth World Championships as a pilot. “I was hoping to have a nice Cinderella story at these Worlds. All things considered though this is my best finish at World Championships, so I have to be happy.”
The 34-year-old leader of the women’s National Bobsleigh Program steadily worked her way into the medal hunt in the ultimate bobsleigh test in a non-Olympic year. She opened the unique four-heat race in seventh spot but made up two positions on the 22-athlete field after throwing the top start time and second-fastest run of the 20-corner track in the second heat.
“Yesterday that second run gave me a solid fight for today. I was three-tenths from the lead and was hoping to eat away at the deficit on the third run, but unfortunately, I added more to it,” said Appiah.
The Torontonian held her fifth-place position into the final set of runs where she climbed one more spot closer to the podium.
“I knew I had to put that first run down today if I really wanted a shot. I am happy I was able to move up a spot,” added Appiah. “I like how challenging this Lake Placid track is. A lot of people shy away from these types of tracks, but I like the technical challenges of them. I use it as another challenge to try and overcome. When it works out, it is a great feeling and a reminder that I’m rubbing elbows with the best in the world.
“I may not have gotten on podium, but I’m still happy. There is lots to work on, and I’ll use this offseason to really work on those things so that when we get to Milan-Cortina it will be all systems go.”
American Kaysha Love captured the World Championship crown, posting a golden time of 3:57.82. Germany’s Laura Nolte placed second at 3:58.26, while Elana Meyers Taylor, of the United States, jumped onto the podium on the final day, claiming the bronze medal after two solid Sunday runs. Meyers Taylor posted a time of 3:58.31.
It was a stellar World Championship debut for Canada’s developing pilot, Kristen Bujnowski, who placed seventh.
Learning to drive since representing Canada as a brake woman at the 2022 Olympics, Bujnowski placed seventh overall with a time of 3:58.77. Taking a huge step forward in her development this year with wins on the Europe Cup and North American Cup circuits, the 32-year-old was in third place after the opening heat before dropping to sixth at the midway point of the race. The Mount Brydges, Ont. resident showed no quit, clocking the fourth fastest time in Sunday’s opening round, and held on for seventh overall.
Two-time Olympian, Melissa Lotholz of Barrhead, Alta., placed 14th at 4:00.42.
Meanwhile a pair of Canadian sleds finished in the middle of the pack of the two-man World Championship bobsleigh race.
Olympians Taylor Austin (Lethbridge, Alta.) and Mike Evelyn O’Higgins (Ottawa) joined forces to finish 15th overall at 3:43.63. Ottawa’s Pat Norton and Shaq Murray-Lawrence (Scarborough, Ont.) finished one spot back in 16th at 3:43.95. Cyrus Gray (Duncan, B.C.) and Kenny M’Pindou (Edmonton) finished 26th in their first World Championships.
The Germans swept the men’s podium. Francesco Friedrich and Alexander Schuller took gold with a time of 3:39.32. Johannes Lochner and George Fleischhuaer were second at 3:39.35, while Adam Ammour and Benedikt Hertel completed the triple medal triumph for the Germans with a combined time of 3:40.15.
The World Championships continue March 15-16 with the two-woman and four-man bobsleigh races in Lake Placid, New York.
Complete Monobob Results:
https://www.ibsf.org/en/result/504292/?cHash=2f1a92ab88c4814500ffbda267a2b6c2
Complete Two-Man Results:
https://www.ibsf.org/en/result/504301/?cHash=6a41b7ab18a8c991754449003a2aa38b
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