Kalicki Wins Women’s Bobsled Opener

From Whistler, CAN

(November 26, 2022) – Germany’s Kim Kalicki had the two most consistent runs of the day in Whistler, and that led the German to gold on the 2010 Olympic track.

Kalicki and brakewoman Anabel Galander trailed Melanie Hasler after the first heat by just .02, with Kalicki’s teammate Laura Nolte only .04 out of the lead.

On the second run Kalicki put down a run that nearly mirrored her first run, both on the track and on the scoreboard with a 52.97 second run to her 52.96 first. That put the pressure on the Swiss pilot looking for her first career gold.

For the first time in her World Cup career, Melanie Hasler entered the second heat as the leader. Her second run looked to be going to plan, with a monster push by she and Nadja Pasternack that gave them the quickest two starts of the race. A skid out of Curve 7 set the Swiss team back, and as they crossed the line they found themselves in second place, a World Cup career best for both women.

Kaillie Humphries hadn’t lost a women’s bobsled race in Whistler in 12 years, not since November 26, 2012. She showed her mastery of the track on the second run with a nearly flawless drive that moved her from fourth place in the first heat into the medals and would finish with a bronze.

Humphries has never finished out of the medals in World Cup action on Whistler.

Laura Nolte, with former German skeleton athlete Tamara Seer on her brakes, had a moment on her first run: She was late out of Curve 11, and then late out of Curve 13 and almost went over, but managed to keep the sled upright. The remainder of her run was quick enough and clean enough to leave her in third place after her first run, only .04 out of the lead. Her second run was equally bumpy, and that plus a late skid put her behind Humphries in fourth place.

Canada’s Bianca Ribi, who won the World Cup monobob event, couldn’t quite find the same pace in the two-seater. She did put down two solid runs to finish fifth in her first World Cup race as a two-woman pilot.

In the second Canadian sled, Cynthia Appiah had a tough first run with World Cup rookie Leah Walkeden. Their second run was cleaner, which moved them to sixth place.

The United States’ Nicole Vogt had a bumpy ride in the first heat but kept the sled upright to end the run in sixth place. Her second run was very similar, but Appiah’s solid run was enough to move Vogt out of the top six into seventh place.

Riley Compton flipped her sled early in her first run. It first appeared as though the sled would make it across the line to give Compton another run, but it stopped within a few meters of the timing eye to give the rookie a DNF.

Results: