From Lake Placid, USA
(December 11, 2022) – The IBSF held its World Push Championships in Lake Placid over the weekend, with the United States winning three of five available gold medals.
The event, held on the new push track in Lake Placid’s new lodge, opened with men’s skeleton push championships. China’s Zheng Yin was the quickest starter in each of the three heats, winning by a total of .18 over Germany’s Felix Keisinger. Great Britain’s Matt Weston finished third, with Akwasi Frimpong of Ghana fourth out of the 13 slider field.
Up next was the women’s monbob. Germany’s Lisa Buckwitz, the 2018 Olympic champion brakewoman, beat out Canada’s Cynthia Appiah by a tenth of a second. Appiah had the early lead, but Buckwitz was quicker in the final two heats to take gold. American Kaysha Love finished third, only .15 back, while teammate Lauren Brzozowski finished fourth.
In the two-man bobsled event, the United States won their first gold, with Kristopher Horn and Reidsville, NC’s own Adrian Adams edged out Switzerland’s Simon Friedli and Sandro Michel by .01 for the victory. Brazil took bronze and fourth, with Erick Gilson Vianna Geronimo and Edson Martins beating out Gustavo dos Santos Ferreira and Rafael Souza da Silva in the seven team field.
The next day’s action kicked off with women’s skeleton. USA”s Mystique Ro was the quickest in all three heats to beat out Canada’s Jane Channell for gold. Channell won silver, while Great Britain’s Brogan Crowley took bronze. American World Cup rookie Hallie Clarke finished fourth.
Lisa Buckwitz doubled up on gold medals by winning gold alongside Neele Schuten. Cynthia Appiah once again took silver, with Erica Voss on her brakes, while USA’s Riley Comptn and Emily Renna won bronze, .88 back. Nicole Vogt and Jestena Mattson finished fourth.
The United States won its third and final gold medal of the event by taking gold in the four-man competition. Kristopher Horn, Adrian Adams, Martin Christofferson and Manteo Mitchell won by .005 over the Swiss team of Simon Friedli, Gregory Jones, Andreas Haas, and Roman Wägeli. Austrians Markus Treichl, Sascha Stepan, Markus Sammer, and Kristian Huber finished third, only .08 from the winning time. Brazil’s Edson Bindilatti, Edson Martins, Erick Gilson Vianna Jeronimo and Rafael Souza da Silva finished the event in fourth.
The IBSF World Cup resumes in the coming weekend in Lake Placid.
Men’s Skeleton
1. Zheng Yin (CHN) – 14.04 (4.67, 4.69, 4.68)
2. Felix Keisinger (GER) – 14.22 (4.73, 4.77, 4.72)
3. Matt Weston (GBR) – 14.29 (4.83, 4.75, 4.71)
4. Akwasi Frimpong (GHA) – 14.48 (4.84, 4.83, 4.81)
Monobob
1. Lisa Buckwitz (GER) – 17.24 (5.80, 5.73, 5.71)
2. Cynthia Appiah (CAN) – 17.34 (5.77, 5.76, 5.81)
3. Kaysha Love (USA) – 17.39 (5.83, 5.77, 5.79)
4. Lauren Brzozowski (USA) – 17.62 (5.84, 5.90, 5.88)
Two-Man Bobsled
1. Horn / Adams (USA) – 14.94 (4.96, 5.02, 4.96)
2. Friedli / Michel (SUI) – 14.95 (5.00, 4.99, 4.96)
3. Gilson Vianna Jeronimo / Martins (BRA) – 15.07 (5.04, 5.03, 5.00)
4. dos Santos Ferreira / Souza da Silva (BRA) – 15.33 (5.10, 5.12, 5.11)
Women’s Skeleton
1. Mystique Ro (USA) – 15.37 (5.14, 5.14, 5.09)
2. Jane Channell (CAN) – 15.49 (5.18, 5.16, 5.15)
3. Brogan Crowley (GBR) – 15.59 (5.19, 5.19, 5.21)
4. Hallie Clarke (USA) – 15.78 (5.26, 5.27, 5.25)
Women’s Bobsled
1. Buckwitz / Schuten (GER) – 16.14 (5.39, 5.38, 5.37)
2. Appiah / Voss (CAN) – 16.40 (5.45, 5.47, 5.48)
3. Compton / Renna (USA) – 17.02 (5.68, 5.68, 5.66)
4. Vogt / Mattson (USA) – 17.23 (5.71, 5.77, 5.75)
Four-Man Bobsled
1. Horn / Adams / Christofferson / Mitchell (USA) – 14.55 (4.86, 4.85, 4.84)
2. Friedli / Jones / Haas / Wägeli (SUI) – 14.60 (4.86, 4.88, 4.86)
3. Treichl / Stepan / Sammer / Huber (AUT) – 14.63 (4.86, 4.88, 4.89)
4. Bindilatti / Martins / Jeronimo / da Silva (BRA) – 14.83 (4.93, 4.95, 4.95)
