Winterberg to host two races in the 4-man bobsleigh while 2-man bobsleigh takes a break
Preview as PDF
Winterberg (RWH): The BMW IBSF World Cup in Winterberg marks the halfway point in the 2021/2022 Olympic season – hosting the fourth of the season’s eight events. For male bobsleigh athletes, there are not one but two 4-man bobsleigh races on the agenda for Winterberg: Because the track in Sigulda (LAT), which will host the tour in early January, is only suitable for the 2-man bobsleigh, this discipline will be taking a break in Winterberg to balance things out.
Kimberley Bos (NED, women’s skeleton), Christopher Grotheer (GER, men’s skeleton), Laura Nolte (GER, 2-woman bobsleigh) and Francesco Friedrich (GER, 2-man and 4-man bobsleigh) will arrive in Winterberg as the overall World Cup leaders. Elana Meyers Taylor (USA) is leading the rankings for the women’s monobob world series. For winter 2021/2022, monobob has been included in all IBSF racing series: BMW IBSF World Cup, Europe Cup and North American Cup. The discipline will be making its premier appearance on the Olympic agenda at Beijing 2022.
So far, the first few races in the BMW IBSF World Cup season have been anything but boring in the skeleton. In the men’s event, there have been five winners from four countries in three races: After Alexander Tretiakov (RUS) won the opening race, Christopher Grotheer (GER), Wenqiang Gang (CHN) and Matt Weston (GBR) made sporting history in Innsbruck by achieving a three-way tie for gold. Axel Jungk (GER) joined the list of winners in Altenberg. In the women’s skeleton event, there have been athletes making their debut on the podium at every race of the Olympic season so far: Kim Meylemans of Belgium and Valentina Margaglio of Italy celebrated the first podium finishes for their countries by achieving one third-place finish in Innsbruck each. After two fourth-place finishes in Innsbruck, the Junior World and European Champion Alina Tararychenkova of Russia made it onto the World Cup podium for the first time when she finished second in Altenberg.
In the 2-woman bobsleigh and women’s monobob world series, it appeared as though one athlete had had a huge weight lifted from her shoulders at the BMW IBSF World Cup in Altenberg. World Champion Kaillie Humphries (USA) flew back to spend a day in her home town of San Diego, California, shortly before the race weekend in order to receive her official citizenship papers. US citizenship was one of the criteria she needs to meet to have a chance of the competing for the USA at the Beijing Winter Olympics in February 2022. Spurred on by this important step forwards, the 2010 and 2014 Olympic Champion secured her first golds of the season in Altenberg, winning both the monobob and 2-woman bobsleigh. Winterberg local hero Laura Nolte has finished on the podium in all six races for female bobsleigh athletes so far. The Junior World Champion and European Champion is top of the standings for the 2-woman event and third in the monobob.
Olympic Champion Francesco Friedrich is the top favourite in the 4-man bobsleigh and will be arriving in Winterberg with an impressive track record. Since his victory at the PyeongChang Olympics in 2018 (KOR), Friedrich has competed in 22 4-man bobsleigh World Cup races, celebrated 15 wins and achieved four further podium finishes. Francesco Friedrich remains unbeaten in the 4-man event in 2021 – and has some great memories of Winterberg: In January 2021, he completed his collection of titles by winning 4-man bobsleigh gold at the European Championships. ©RWH2021
Winterberg timetable
Subject to changes – Up-to-date times (local time at the track and the user’s local time) are listed on the IBSF website. ©RWH2021
On the sidelines
Eric Bernotas (USA) is now the director of skeleton development at USA Bobsled & Skeleton as the sporting organisation announced in a recent press release. Eric Bernotas used to be a skeleton athlete himself; he finished sixth at the 2006 Winter Olympic Games and 14th at the 2010 Games. Now 50, Bernotas also won World Championship silver in St. Moritz in 2007 and secured five World Cup wins and seven further podium finishes. After retiring from active sport, Eric Bernotas worked as a coach for teams including Australia, Great Britain and, most recently, Canada. In his new role at USABS, he will responsible for development and implementation of the recruitment, onboarding and development strategy. ©RWH2021
Raphael Maier (AUT) is the youngest coach in the BMW IBSF World Cup. The 29-year-old was a skeleton athlete himself until 2016; his best result was a sixth-place finish in Lake Placid (USA) in 2014. At the BMW IBSF World Cup 2021/2022, Raphael Maier is coaching skeleton athlete Kim Meylemans of Belgium, who became her country’s first female athlete to finish on the World Cup podium after finishing third in Innsbruck. Raphael Maier comes from a family with close ties to sliding sports: His father Manfred Maier coordinates the International Bobsleigh & Skeleton Federation’s (IBSF) development programme and his brothers Benjamin and Samuel also compete in the World Cup as a bobsleigh pilot and skeleton athlete respectively. ©RWH2021
Jana Pittman (AUS) has been added to Australia’s Hall of Sporting Fame. In 2003, the 39-year-old became the youngest World Champion in the 400-metre hurdles and won the title again in 2007. She finished fifth in the Athens Olympic Games in 2004. As the brakewoman for bobsleigh pilot Astrid Loch-Wilkinson, Jana Pittman finished 14th at the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi. She thus became the first female Australian to compete in both the Summer and Winter Olympics. ©RWH2021
BMW IBSF World Cup in Winterberg: Spectators welcome, 2G mandatory
2G+ for media representatives - test mobile on site
Winterberg (RWH) Spectators are allowed at the BMW IBSF World Cup in Winterberg. This is made possible by the Corona Protection Order of the Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia due to the current incidences. Bobsleigh and skeleton fans can attend the races on the bobsleigh track if they are fully vaccinated or recovered (2G rule) - proof and identification document must be presented! In addition, a medical mask must be worn on the track area when several people meet. This applies above all if it is not possible to keep a sufficient distance.
For press representatives, the accreditation requirement is 2G+. In addition to the vaccination or convalescent proof, a current negative corona test (PCR not older than 48 hours/antigen rapid test not older than 24 hours) must also be presented. Free rapid tests are available on site in the test mobile from the German Red Cross before access to the track. Medical masks are also compulsory for media representatives, except for the own seat in the press centre. ©RWH2021
This season’s winners in the 2021/2022 BMW IBSF World Cup – Skeleton
This season’s winners in the 2021/2022 BMW IBSF World Cup – Women's bobsleigh
This season’s winners in the 2021/2022 BMW IBSF World Cup – Men's bobsleigh
Online press conference for the BMW IBSF World Cup in Winterberg on 9 December
Winterberg (RWH) In the run-up to the BMW IBSF Bobsleigh + Skeleton World Cup in Winterberg there will be an online press conference, moderated by Paul Senske. Among others, the German national coaches Christian Baude (skeleton) and René Spies (bobsleigh) as well as athletes of the BSD squad will be present. The press conference can also be viewed on YouTube afterwards.
Thursday, 9 Dec. 2021, 11:30 CET | 4 hours |
Meeting ID: 2369 529 0786 Password: tmWffgGV823
>> Athlete profiles on ibsf.org with medals tables, news and photos for all athletes
>> All results from IBSF races and training sessions
>> Photos are available on the IBSF Flickr account (editorial purposes only and with photo credits!)
>> Press accreditation is available from the respective track – please consult the COVID-19 regulations in good time and register in advance! >> Information on the IBSF’s COVID-19 regulations
As usual, all races in the 2020/2021 BMW IBSF Bobsleigh and Skeleton World Cup will be available to view on a live stream on ibsf.org (with live results ticker) or Youtube. Information about channels and TV broadcasts is available at ibsf.org/en/broadcasters
Further information, photos and videos are available on our social media channels / @IBSFsliding:
