From Whistler, CAN
(November 10, 2022) – Switzerland’s Simon Friedli won his first career North American Cup gold medal in Whistler, edging out a North American for top honors.
Friedli, whose only previous gold medal as a pilot came in a two-man race in Sigulda during a European Cup race, entered the second heat behind teammate Michael Vogt and Frank Del Duca. On the second run Friedli put down the quickest run of the heat to move into the lead with only Del Duca and Vogt to go.
On Del Duca’s second drive he was .14 off Friedli’s second heat pace to move into second by .05. Vogt was the final pilot down, and he and brakeman Cyril Bieri were quick off the top but had trouble late and tumbled down to sixth, giving Friedli the victory.
The gold for Friedli was the first of his career in North American action. Friedli’s brakeman, Andreas Haas, won his first ever gold medal in senior competition.
Del Duca and veteran brakeman Adrian Adams had two solid starts and the second quickest run in both heats to finish second, .18 ahead of Canada’s Taylor Austin and Cyrus Gray in third.
The Swiss duo of Cedric Follador and Marco Dörig finished fourth, .4 off the podium. Jinsu Kim and Sunwook Kim finished fifth, ahead of Vogt and the duo of Orion Edwars and Keenan Postans in seventh.
Results:
| Pos | Names | Nation | Bib | Start 1 | Start 2 | Run 1 | Run 2 | Finish |
| 1 | Friedli / Haas | SUI | 1 | 4.90 | 4.90 | 51.97 | 51.97 | 1:43.94 |
| 2 | Del Duca / Adams | USA | 3 | 4.92 | 4.95 | 51.88 | 52.11 | 1:43.99 |
| 3 | Austin / Gray | CAN | 6 | 4.97 | 4.98 | 52.01 | 52.16 | 1:44.17 |
| 4 | Follador / Dörig | SUI | 2 | 5.00 | 5.01 | 52.31 | 52.26 | 1:44.57 |
| 5 | Kim / Kim | KOR | 4 | 4.93 | 4.92 | 53.35 | 52.82 | 1:46.17 |
| 6 | Vogt / Bieri | SUI | 7 | 4.89 | 4.94 | 51.68 | 55.60 | 1:47.28 |
| 7 | Edwards / Postans | CAN | 5 | 5.11 | 5.17 | 53.60 | 54.07 | 1:47.67 |
