LILLEHAMMER — A last-minute lineup change paid off for Canada's Melissa Lotholz on Sunday.
Lotholz and Skylar Sieben claimed bronze in their two-woman bobsled race at the final World Cup event of the season.
The result came after Sieben replaced Leah Walkeden as the brakewoman in Lotholz's sled. Walkeden decided to withdraw Sunday after battling illness all week.
“This is a medal for our entire team,” Lotholz said. “That generous and selfless decision by Leah to not be in the sled today, and let Skylar race, is exactly the culture we are trying to build here.
"Everyone has a job to do. It could be driving the sled, pushing the sled or even being at the finish like Leah was today to help us with clothes and moving sleds after making this decision with the best interest of the team in mind. I am so proud of Skylar, Leah and the entire program today. Everyone contributed to this result.”
Lotholz, a two-time Olympian from Barrhead, Alta., earned her first podium in 20 World Cup starts as a pilot. She has 19 World Cup and world championship medals as a brakewoman.
“It is so exciting to be on the podium,” said Lotholz, who hadn’t won an official World Cup medal since 2017. “Skylar really stepped up to the plate today. We had never been down the hill together and were practising our timing in the start house earlier."
Sieben, of Cochrane, Alta., joined Canada's bobsled program last summer after previously competing in heptathlon.
“I was so pumped to be able to show up for Melissa and Leah today when then needed it,” said Sieben. “I was happy with my pushes. Mel and I were able to practice a few timings in the start house and then just went for it. I’m proud of Melissa and happy to have played a small part in her podium performance.”
Lotholz and Sieben finished 0.96 seconds behind gold medallists Laura Nolte and Deborah Levi of Germany, who also topped the podium at the 2022 Olympics.
Fellow Germans Lisa Buckwitz and Neele Schuten were 0.20 seconds back of the lead in second.
Nolte is the overall World Cup winner in two-woman bobsled for a third consecutive season.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 16, 2025.
The Canadian Press
