Canada’s Lotholz earns monobob bronze in women’s bobsled event to make Olympic debut

INNSBRUCK, Austria — The Canadian women’s bobsled team continues to contend in the new event of monobob, which will make its Winter Olympic debut in 2022.

Melissa Lotholz of Barrhead, Alta., and Toronto’s Cynthia Appiah finished third and fourth respectively Saturday behind winner Breeana Walker of Australia and runner-up Elana Meyers Taylor of the United States.

In monobob, a lone woman pushes and drives a standardized sled that is the same as her competitors’ in a test of driving skills.

Lotholz earned Canada’s first World Cup medal in the event.

“I think it is so cool to have this opportunity to race monobobs,” Lotholz said.

 “To have two consistent starts and runs today shows everything is coming together. 

“I’m very proud of the process and I am having so much fun which is so important.”

Lotholz and Appiah finished one-two in a developmental Europe Cub monobob Jan. 14 in Innsbruck.

Former Canadian team pilot Kaillie Humphries, who now races for the U.S., won both monobob races she’s entered this season.

Humphries didn’t compete Saturday to prepare for next week’s world championship in Germany, but she’ll race the women’s World Cup season finale Sunday with brakewoman Lolo Jones.

Walker tops the monobob season standings. Lotholz, who pushed Humphries to a pair of world championship silver medals in 2016 and 2017, ranked sixth.

Germany pilot Francesco Friedrich clinched the season’s World Cup two-man title for a fourth consecutive year. 

He teamed with Alexander Schuller for an 11th win in a dozen races.

The German duo beat Latvian silver medallists Oskars Kibermanis and Matiss Miknis by nearly three-quarters of a second.

Friedrich’s time was one minute, 43.08 seconds. Kibermanis finished in 1:43.80. 

Russia’s Rostislav Gaitiukevich picked up his first World Cup medal, placing third with Mikhail Mordasov in 1:43.90. 

Vancouver’s Chris Spring and Ottawa’s Mike Evelyn finished 11th.

Olympic champion pilot Justin Kripps of Summerland, B.C., didn’t race Saturday because of a leg cramp, but is expected to drive a four-man sled in Sunday’s World Cup season finale.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 30, 2021.

The Canadian Press