Alberta’s Lotholz and Sieban win bronze in bobsleigh World Cup
Posted February 17, 2025 12:26 pm.
Last Updated February 17, 2025 12:28 pm.
A pair of Alberta women have taken home the bronze medal at the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation (IBSF) World Cup on Sunday in Norway.
Melissa Lotholz and Skylar Sieben, from Barrhead and Cochrane respectively, came together at the last second after University of Alberta Pandas’ Leah Walkedan stepped aside, according to Bobsleigh Canada.
Walkedan decided to drop out after being sick all week to “provide Team Canada the best chance to deliver a podium result.”
“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.”
“Bobsleigh really takes a team to get onto the podium. 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.”
Lotholtz, 32, holds 20 career medals, including two from the Olympics, but hasn’t won an official World Cup medal since 2017. However, this is the first time she has medaled as a pilot.
“It is so exciting to be on the podium,” Lotholz said. “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.”
On the brakes, 25-year-old Sieban joined the sport over the summer from the heptathlon. She has only worked with one other pilot, Cynthia Appiah, who won a silver in the monobob race on Saturday.
“I was so pumped to be able to show up for Melissa and Leah today when they needed it,” Sieben said. “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 clocked a two-run time of 1:44.70 to make the podium in the final spot, 0.96 seconds behind the second-place German team of Lisa Buckwitz and Neele Schuten.
Laura Nolte and Deborah Levi snagged the gold with 1:43.74, 0.20 seconds ahead of Buckwitz and Schuten.
Nolte is the World Cup overall winner in two-woman bobsled for a third season in a row.
With files from The Canadian Press
