Summerland’s Kripps places 2nd at World Cup race in Utah

PARK CITY, Utah (AP) — Jamie Greubel Poser got the bounce-back race she wanted, and husband Christian Poser got another gold medal for the family collection. Greubel Poser teamed with Lauren Gibbs to win a World Cup women’s bobsled race for the U.S. on Friday night at the Utah Olympic Park — her sixth career victory on the circuit and the 18th medal in her last 22 starts on tour. And later, the German sled driven by Nico Walther — with Christian Poser as one of his pushers — won the first four-man race of the season.

Greubel Poser finished her two runs on the 2002 Olympic track in 1 minute, 40.72 seconds. Kaillie Humphries and Melissa Lotholz of Canada were second in 1:40.82, while Elana Meyers Taylor and Lolo Jones of the U.S. rode the strength of two strong starts to finish third in 1:40.99.

Including the 2014 Sochi Olympics, it was the 13th time that Greubel Poser, Humphries and Meyers Taylor — the top three drivers on tour — swept the podium spots in an international race.

Walther was with Poser, Kevin Kuske and Eric Franke for the four-man win, hanging on to finish in 1:36.80. It was barely good enough to hold off a huge rally from Canada’s Justin Kripps and his team of Lascelles Brown, Ben Coakwell and Neville Wright. Kripps’ sled was second in 1:36.83, nearly stealing the win after being only 10th in the first heat.

Canada also got bronze in the four-man, with Chris Spring driving along with pushers Jesse Lumsden, Alex Kopacz and Oluseyi Smith and finishing in 1:36.86.