Humphries caps historic sweep
Gold in monobob is her second for U.S. in past two weeks
Kaillie Humphries wasn’t sure if she would get a chance to race this season.
She ended up on top of the world — twice.
The Calgary-born Humphries, now racing for the U.S., ended her international season Sunday by winning the inaugural women’s monobob world championship in Altenberg, Germany, adding that gold medal to the one she and Lolo Jones claimed on the same track last weekend.
Humphries becomes the obvious favourite going into the Olympic season, with two medal events — monobob included — awaiting women’s bobsledders at next winter’s Beijing Games for the first time.
“To be able to end on a high, I really just continue to think that I am so grateful to be here,” Humphries said. “To be representing the United States and to be able to compete is such a huge honour. And I’m excited to go home and see my husband and my dog.”
Toronto’s Cynthia Appiah was the top Canadian in fifth place.
Moments later, Humphries hopped atop the medal stand amid a backdrop of snow-covered evergreen trees, wrapped herself in the American flag, then put her right hand over her heart as “The Star-Spangled Banner” cut through the frosty air.
It was her fifth world championship and third in as many tries since getting her release from the Canadian program to slide for the U.S. in 2019.
If Humphries — a two-time Olympic gold medallist who is married to an American and now calls San Diego home — is going to race for the U.S. in Beijing, she needs to obtain citizenship in the coming months.
“She’s the best driver in the world,” longtime bobsled analyst John Morgan said.
Humphries’ final time for four runs over two days was three minutes, 59.62 seconds — a half-second better than anyone else. She had the fastest time in each of the final three heats, and a track-record time of 59.47 seconds in the final run clinching gold.
“We just saved the best for last,” Humphries said.
Germany and Canada took the next six spots behind Humphries, with the Germans grabbing silver and bronze. Stephanie Schneider, the leader after Saturday’s first two heats, finished second in 4:00.12. Laura Nolte was third in 4:00.42.
Mariama Jamanka was fourth for Germany, followed by Appiah, Germany’s Kim Kalicki and Melissa Lotholz of Barrhead, Alta.
On average, those six German and Canadian sleds were 1.43 seconds behind Humphries. In sliding, that margin is enormous.
“Kaillie, she’s the best in the world, hands-down, one of the best pilots in the world, men or women, taking the bobsled down the hill,” U.S. assistant coach Brian Shimer said. “No question.”
Elana Meyers Taylor was 15th for the U.S., her medal hopes dashed by a first-heat crash Saturday.
Like Humphries, Germany’s Francesco Friedrich won double gold at worlds, capping off an easy four-man win later Sunday. It’s the fifth consecutive year that he has swept the twoand four-man golds at either the world championships or Olympics.
The Austrian sled driven by Benjamin Maier was second in 3:35.81, and the German sled driven by Johannes Lochner was third in 3:36.53. Justin Kripps of Summerland, B.C., drove the Canadian sled to a fifth-place finish in 3:36.95.
Counting all three sliding sports — bobsled, skeleton and luge — American athletes won 18 medals on the top international sliding circuits this winter, all by women. Each of Humphries’ five medals was gold; two from worlds, one in World Cup and two in the Monobob World Series.
“Her experience, patience and talent helped her win this gold medal for Team USA,” U.S. coach Mike Kohn said.
The U.S. wasn’t sure until December if it would be going overseas to compete in any events.
The American teams wound up skipping the first half of the season while determining if their sliders could compete in Europe safely. They figured it out in time, and once Humphries got rolling over the past three weeks she was unstoppable.
“A historic day,” Humphries said. “I am super pumped.”