From Whistler, CAN
(November 28, 2024) – It has been over 650 days since Kendall Wesenberg had toed the line in an IBSF international competition. In the time in between starts, the American Olympian had spinal fusion surgery to fix injuries that had been nagging her for what likely felt like forever.
In her first race back on the North American Cup tour, Wesenberg had a pair of competitive starts and two quick slides on her way to a gold medal in Whistler.
Both of Wesenberg’s starts placed her in the top half of the field, but both slides were cleaner than anyone else’s as Wesenberg took her second career North American Cup gold medal.
Behind Wesenberg, Columbia’s Laura Vargas scored a career-best silver medal on the strength of a second slide that was within .11 of Wesenberg’s.
The US Virgin Islands’ Katie Tannenbaum finished third. The 2022 Olympian had a pair of top-three starts and the third quickest slide in each heat on her way to her third medal and fourth top five in her last five North American Cup races.
American Logan Wudi took fourth, ahead of Finland’s Hannah Russwurm in fifth. USA’s Sha’Londa Terry had the quick start in both heats on her way to a sixth place finish.
American rookies Lisel Baker and Hannah Gaskins finished seventh and eighth, while Canada’s Mackenzie Adams rounded out the nine sled field.
Results:
| Pos | Name | Nation | Bib | Start 1 | Start 2 | Run 1 | Run 2 | Finish |
| 1 | Kendall Wesenberg | USA | 7 | 5.22 | 5.20 | 54.76 | 55.44 | 1:50.20 |
| 2 | Laura Vargas | COL | 3 | 5.19 | 5.18 | 55.16 | 55.55 | 1:50.71 |
| 3 | Katie Tannenbaum | ISV | 4 | 5.19 | 5.20 | 56.51 | 56.40 | 1:52.91 |
| 4 | Logan Wudi | USA | 6 | 5.30 | 5.27 | 56.73 | 57.49 | 1:54.22 |
| 5 | Hannah Russwurm | FIN | 2 | 5.24 | 5.20 | 57.22 | 57.57 | 1:54.79 |
| 6 | Sha’Londa Terry | USA | 5 | 5.08 | 4.98 | 57.31 | 57.89 | 1:55.20 |
| 7 | Liesel Baker | USA | 9 | 5.49 | 5.40 | 58.82 | 57.10 | 1:55.92 |
| 8 | Hannah Gaskins | USA | 8 | 5.41 | 5.31 | 58.32 | 57.73 | 1:56.05 |
| 9 | Mackenzie Adams | CAN | 1 | 5.64 | 5.59 | 58.61 | 58.48 | 1:57.09 |
