Stewart Takes Home Ice Gold in St. Moritz

From St. Moritz, SUI

(February 29, 2024) – Switzerland’s Christopher Stewart edged out the United States’ Robert Balk to win his first race of the 2023/2024 Para Sport World Cup season.

Stewart slid to the lead ahead of USA’s Austin Parker from the 12th start draw and watched a few sleds later as Balk made it a race, with just .05 separating the two sliders.

In the second heat longtime medal contender Corie Mapp slid to the lead with just Balk and Stewart to go with a slide that was only .02 off the one-run pace set by Stewart in the first heat. That run gave the Brit a guaranteed medal, no worse than bronze to that point.

Balk’s second slide was a tick slower than Mapp’s, but his first slide was more than enough to keep him in the lead and guarantee himself at least silver.

Finally it was Stewart’s turn for his second run. As he’s done so many times on his home track, Stewart out-slid everyone and took gold for the first time this season.

The margin of victory was .17.

Balk took silver, and Mapp bronze.

Stewart’s gold was the fifth gold of his World Cup career and 15th medal overall. Four of his five victories have come in St. Mortiz.

Germany’s Nickolai Johann finished fourth in his first start of the season, while Parker took fifth and Italy’s Fabrizio Caselli finished sixth.

The United States’ Guillermo Castillo, fifth in the World Championships just a year ago, struggled to find his rhythm in this year’s iteration of the only hand-built track on tour and finished 15th, one spot ahead of teammate David Christopher in 16th.

The tour resumes on Friday with Race 6 before heading to La Plagne at the end of March to finish out its season.

Results: