From Lake Placid, USA
(December 18, 2022) – Kaillie Humphries was edged out in Saturday’s monobob race. She would not be denied gold a day later in the women’s bobsled event.
Humphries and Kaysha Love took a .05 second lead over Lake Placid monobob gold medalist Laura Nolte and her brakewoman Lena Neunecker into the second heat, with Kim Kalicki sitting third a quarter second back.
On the second run Nolte put down another smooth drive to take the lead ahead of her teammate by .47, guaranteeing Germany two medals.
It was then Humphries and Love off the top as they set the second quickest start of the day. Humphries held the lead over the course of her entire second drive as she crossed the line .12 ahead of Nolte to take gold in the final women’s bobsled race before the holiday break.
“It feels amazing,” Humphries said. “Anytime you get to race at home it’s awesome. But to be able to race at home with family and friends and supporters is really special.”
It was also Humphries’ first race back with Kaysha Love since the Olympics.
“It’s our first race back, so I was really excited coming into this and it just proves a point as to why. She did amazing back being a brakeman again.”
Love’s move to the brakes comes after spending most of the season working on her piloting skills.
“It was quite the transition moving back to the brakes,” Love said. It’ll be nice to have the break and the rest of the season to hone in on my brakeman skills agian!”
Nolte finished second for her second straight silver medal of the women’s bobsled season. Afterward she was happy with her result in Lake Placid.
“It was a pretty good weekend, we can definitely drive home for Christmas happy with that,” Nolte said of her race. “Of course it’s close after the first run, but Kaillie is hard to beat here, so that’s why I’m happy.
Kalicki the winner of the first two women’s bobsled races of the season, finished third with Anabel Galander on her brakes.
Canada’s Bianca Ribi and Niamh Haughey finished fourth, up from sixth after their first run. The finish was a career best for Ribi.
Lisa Buckwitz nearly rolled her sled out of Curve 11 in the first heat, but put down a smooth second run to finish fifth. She and Neele Schuten set the top two start times of the race.
Melanie Hasler and Irnia Strebel finished sixth.
Canada’s Cynthia Appiah and Erica Voss finished seventh, while Nicole Vogt and Jasmine Jones finished eighth. Riley Compton and Macy Tarlton finished ninth.
Results:
| Pos | Names | Nation | Bib | Start 1 | Start 2 | Run 1 | Run 2 | Total |
| 1 | Humphries / Love | USA | 8 | 5.59 | 5.57 | 57.39 | 57.54 | 1:54.93 |
| 2 | Nolte / Neunecker | GER | 9 | 5.57 | 5.58 | 57.44 | 57.61 | 1:55.05 |
| 3 | Kalicki / Galander | GER | 7 | 5.59 | 5.57 | 57.64 | 57.88 | 1:55.52 |
| 4 | Ribi / Haughey | CAN | 1 | 5.67 | 5.66 | 57.97 | 57.89 | 1:55.86 |
| 5 | Buckwitz / Schuten | GER | 3 | 5.47 | 5.50 | 57.89 | 57.99 | 1:55.88 |
| 6 | Hasler / Strebel | SUI | 4 | 5.65 | 5.67 | 57.87 | 58.21 | 1:56.08 |
| 7 | Appiah / Voss | CAN | 5 | 5.62 | 5.60 | 58.06 | 58.08 | 1:56.14 |
| 8 | Vogt / Jones | USA | 6 | 5.84 | 5.80 | 58.61 | 58.48 | 1:57.09 |
| 9 | Compton / Tarlton | USA | 2 | 5.89 | 5.94 | 58.63 | 59.21 | 1:57.84 |
