Kaillie Humphries victorious in bobsleigh World Cup debut with U.S.
Kaillie Humphries’ World Cup bobsled debut for the United States was a winning one.
Humphries teamed with Lauren Gibbs to finish two runs in one minute 53.48 seconds, posting the fastest time in both heats.
«I’ve been through a lot emotionally over the last year, so knowing I have the skill to focus and turn it on when I need to builds confidence,» said Humphries, who won two Olympic golds in her career for Canada. «I can rely on my teammates and they trust me back. Some things aren’t perfect, but I’m a high-performing athlete and there will always be things I want to improve on.»
WATCH | Kaillie Humphries atop podium in U.S. debut:
That might be bad news for the rest of the women’s bobsled circuit. Humphries showed no rust whatsoever in her first World Cup race in nearly two years.
‘Great way to start next chapter’
She gained her release to join the U.S. team in September and competed in a pair of North American Cup races last month.
WATCH | Humphries on her racing return: ‘I was very nervous’:
Germany’s Stephanie Schneider drove to the silver, and Germany got the bronze in the sled piloted by Kim Kalicki. Schneider was nearly one-third of a second behind Humphries, Kalicki nearly a half-second back. In bobsled, those are significant margins.
«This feels fantastic to start the season so strong,» Humphries said. «It’s a great way to start this next chapter. The team has been so supportive and there’s been an incredible team effort this week to make this win happy today. I’m feeling really happy and proud.»
Humphries learned to drive on the Lake Placid track, and has had enormous success there. She’s now won nine major international medals on that track — five gold, including the 2012 world championship, along with a silver and three bronze.
She gets a chance to add to her total next weekend, when the second World Cup race of the season is also held there. Lake Placid is hosting two World Cups this season because the planned opener in Park City, Utah, had to be moved because of mechanical problems at the 2002 Olympic track.
Canada’s Kripps, Coakwell win 2-man bronze:
In the first two-man race of the season later Saturday, Germany’s Johannes Lochner and Christopher Weber pulled off a mild upset by beating countrymen Francesco Friedrich and Thorsten Margis. Friedrich had won 11 consecutive major international two-man races — including every World Cup race last year, plus an Olympics and a world championship — before Saturday.
Lochner and Bauer finished on top of the pack with a time of one minute, 50.17 seconds, while Friedrich and Margis clocked one minute, 50.25 seconds.
Canada’s Justin Kripps and Alexander Kopacz scrapped their way onto the podium, after a shaky first run left them in fifth. The duo then recorded the second-fastest time of the night with their second run to secure a spot on the podium with a time of one minute, 50.43 seconds.
WATCH | Kripps and Coakwell finish 3rd:
«It was a good comeback in that second heat and nice to start the season on the podium,» said the 32-year-old Kripps. «We don’t often put down fastest times. Consistency is the key for us and that was the difference again today.»
It was the 13th career World Cup two-man podium finish for Kripps. The 2018 Olympic champion and native of Summerland, B.C. also made sure to give his breakman plenty of credit.
«Ben did a great job today. I know he wants to get a little bit more at the start, but we had top-four pushes and were in the mix today.»
WATCH | Kripps, Coakwell discuss bronze medal win:
Loelling repeats as skeleton champion
Germany’s Jacqueline Loelling won the first women’s World Cup skeleton race of the season Saturday, posting the fastest time in both heats at Mount Van Hoevenberg for her 10th career victory on the circuit.
Loelling finished in one minute 49.76 seconds at Lake Placid, followed by Austria’s Janine Flock (1:50.00) and Germany’s Tina Hermann (1:50.47).
Loelling won a pair of World Cup races last year, including the Lake Placid stop last February. Reigning World Cup champion Elena Nikitina of Russia was fifth.
