Canada’s Cynthia Appiah secured the silver medal in the women’s monobob event at the IBSF World Cup held in Winterberg, Germany. Appiah, hailing from Toronto, clocked a total time of one minute 58.53 seconds across two heats, matching her best-ever performance. This marked her first World Cup monobob podium finish of the season and her eighth career medal in the discipline.
Expressing her elation, Appiah shared, “This feels amazing. It feels like a huge weight has been lifted off my back.” The gold medal went to Germany’s Laura Nolte, who completed the course in 1:58.37, claiming her second World Cup monobob victory this season and her fifth medal in five attempts. Another German, Lisa Buckwitz, secured the bronze with a time of 1:58.57.
Appiah, initially in fourth place after the first heat, climbed two spots by delivering the fastest run (59.38) in the final heat. Reflecting on her performance, she remarked, “It’s great to have the fastest run again. It’s something I haven’t had since the last Olympic season. To have the fastest down time in the second run, especially on a German track where you know it’s going to be a tough battle, is huge.”
Former Canadian competitor Kaillie Humphries represented the United States with a commendable fifth-place finish. Melissa Lotholz from Barrhead, Alta., and American Elana Meyers Taylor tied for sixth place, while the reigning world champion, Kaysha Love of the U.S., finished in eighth place.