2015/2016 IBSF World Cup – Four-Man Bobsled – Race 5

From Park City, USA

Sliding sports are winter sports, and with any outdoor winter sport weather can play a factor. In Park City, weather played a huge factor throughout the field, but at the top, things were relatively fair.

As the field worked its way from 20 to 1, sliders mid-way through the field were pushing into a heavy headwind. At the top, though, the weather seemed to hold, and Alexander Kasjanov held his first position after the first run to take gold. He edged World Cup leader Max Arndt and Swiss slider Rico Peter, who took silver and bronze.

What seemed like good day for the Americans turned into a rough one after the second run. Steven Holcomb came into the second run in fifth, but a push of over .2 slower than the first run into a solid headwind moved him all the way back to 16th position.  Both Nick Cunningham and Codie Bascue fared better, but not by much, finishing 12th and 13th after coming into the second run further up in the field.

Justin Kripps finished fourth for Canada, moving up from a tie for ninth. Chris Spring moved up to ninth, and Kaillie Humphries finished 21st for Canada. Lamin Deen and John Jackson both struggled in the brutal weather for Great Britain, finishing eighth and 15thh, respectively.

Ugis Zalims was the big mover of the race. The Latvian came down in as close to perfect conditions as anyone could have asked for, and moved up from 17th to fifth.

Results: