December 21, 2021
Coakwell wins silver, ties Canadian record
Bobsleigh brakeman Ben Coakwell and the rest of his four-person team captured their first silver medal of the 2021-22 World Cup season on Sunday in Altenberg, Germany.
Piloted by Justin Kripps, the team completed their two runs in a total time of one minute and 49.16 seconds, just narrowly trailing the top team from Germany who earned goal with a time of 1:48.88.
It’s the third medal of the season for the team and places them second overall in the standings.
The performance is extra special for Moose Jaw’s Coakwell as it ties him for the most World Cup medals by a Canadian four-man brakeman at 17 with Lascelles Brown.
“Lascelles was a major mentor for me. He probably doesn’t know this, but he is an idol of mine and amazed me every day with his talent. He taught me how to push with his heart and I’m immensely thankful to accomplish something like this,” Coakwell said in a Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton release.
The team will now be on a holiday break until World Cup events resume in early January.
Christ picks up four medals at Four Continents
Two-time Olympian Kali Christ added another four medals to her name at the ISU Four Continents Championship in Calgary last week.
Christ, who hails from Regina, captured gold in the women’s 1,500-metre event with a time of one minute and 57.679 seconds and bronze in the 1,000-m with a time of 1:16.508. She also won silver in the women’s Team Pursuit (3:08.693) and a bronze in the women’s Team Sprint (1:46.266).
“I feel really good,” Christ said in a Speed Skating Canada release. “Medals aside, I’ve started feeling like myself again this week. I’m actually able to transfer the technical advice that I’m getting in practice into my racing. It’s going really well and that’s showing up in my times. It’s still not quite what I use to be able to do, but I’m definitely getting closer. It’s a nice confidence boost.”
Oatway captures fifth in Switzerland
Regina’s Kurt Oatway is headed home for the holiday break after finishing off the year with a fifth-place finish at the Para alpine World Cup event in St. Mortiz, Switzerland.
Oatway completed his two runs in the men’s sitting giant slalom in a total time of one minute and 37.46 seconds.
Para alpine World Cup events will resume January 27-30 in Are, Sweden.