WHISTLER, British Columbia (AP) — Canada finished in the top two in the first women’s monobob World Cup race of the season Friday, while Olympic champion Kaillie Humphries of the US took bronze.
Bianca Ribi completed her two laps in 1 minute, 50.89 seconds for her first win on the top women’s circuit. She was 0.27 seconds quicker than fellow Canadian slider Cynthia Appiah, and Humphries had the fastest time in the second over to finish third, 0.29 seconds adrift.
First round leader Laura Nolte of Germany fell in her second round and finished seventh.
The US had three of the nine sleds in the very light season opener. Nicole Vogt was sixth and Riley Compton was eighth.
In Friday night’s two-man race, Francesco Friedrich of Germany – the reigning Olympic and World Cup champion in two- and four-man races – opened his season with another victory. It was his 61st victory in his last 74 major international races.
He teamed with Alexander Schuller to win in 1:42.22 over a British sled driven by Brad Hall and pushed by Taylor Lawrence (1:42.33). Johannes Lochner and Erec Bruckert third for Germany.
US Frank Del Duca was last in the 10 sled course, after he and Hakeem Abdul-Saboor fell in their first lap. Manteo Mitchell replaced Abdul-Saboor for the second heat.
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