IGLS, Austria — Toronto's Cynthia Appiah claimed bronze in the World Cup monobob event on Saturday.
Germany’s Lisa Buckwitz won the gold medal with a time of one minute, 49.20 seconds. Australia’s Breeana Walker held off a hard-charging Appiah to capture the silver medal at 1:49.38.
Appiah, who finished in a time of 1:49.42, was thrilled to reach the podium on the track where her World Cup career as a bobsled pilot began.
“My World Cup debut as a pilot was here in 2019 and I’ve had a love-hate relationship since,” said Appiah. “It’s starters track so it is where I should really shine, but today is the first time I’ve been on the podium. I’ve always been just short, so to finally do it is like getting the monkey off my back.”
Appiah was three spots off the podium in sixth place after a disappointing opening run.
“That first run wasn’t the greatest, but I knew I was in striking distance,” added Appiah.
In the second heat, the Canadian bolted off the start block, clocking the top sprint time, which propelled her to the fastest downtime in the heat at 54.63.
“Sometimes that underdog feeling helps when I think ‘I’m not out of it yet. Everyone watch out, I’m coming through,’" said Appiah. “But I know myself and what I’m capable of — it’s just a matter of putting it down and showing everyone.
It was the fourth podium finish of the season this year for Appiah, who has collected three bronze medals after opening her World Cup campaign with a silver on her home track in Whistler.
The four-medal haul puts her in third place in the overall World Cup monobob standings with just one race remaining next weekend in Sigulda, Latvia.
“I’m happy with where I’m at. I wish I was a bit closer to the top of the standings, but that crash in Lake Placid (earlier this season) cost me a bit,” she said. “I’m still in third and I’ve created some breathing room from my competitors so I’m looking forward to Sigulda and hopefully get my hands on a Crystal Globe.”
Meanwhile, Ottawa’s Pat Norton piloted the only Canadian sled to a 14th-place finish in the first of back-to-back four-man races in Igls. Norton and his crew of Chris Ashley, David Caixeiro and Mathieu Gosselin stopped the clock at 1:42.46.
Germany’s Francesco Friedrich, Candy Bauer, Thorsten Margis and Alexander Schueller took gold with a time of 1:40.65.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 11, 2023.
The Canadian Press
