The climax of the 2018-19 ISBF season comes this week at the site of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games at the sliding track in Whistler (CAN).
Coming one week after the final World Cup races in Calgary (CAN), the leading contenders for honors will certainly be the top World Cup finishers:
● Two-Man:
1. Francesco Friedrich (GER) ~ 2013-15-16-17 World Champion; 2018 Olympic gold
2. Oskars Kibermanis (LAT)
3. Nico Walther (GER)
Friedrich will be trying for his fifth title, which would tie him for second all-time with Christoph Langen (GER: 1993-95-96-2000-01), and two behind Italy’s Eugenio Monti, who won seven titles between 1957-66.
● Four-Man:
1. Francesco Friedrich (GER) ~ 2018 co-World Champion; 2016 silver; 2018 Olympic gold
2. Oskars Kibermanis (LAT)
3. Johannes Lochner (GER) ~ 2017 co-World Champion
● Two-Woman:
1. Mariama Jamanka (GER) ~ 2018 Olympic Champion
2. Stephanie Schneider (GER)
3. Elana Meyers Taylor (USA) ~ 2015 & 2017 World Champ; 2014-18 Olympic silver
● Men’s Skeleton:
1. Alexander Tretiakov (RUS) ~ 2013 World Champion; 2011-15-16 Worlds silvers
2. Sung-bin Yun (KOR) ~ 2018 Olympic Champion
3. Martins Dukurs (LAT) ~ 2011-12-15-16-17 World Champion
● Women’s Skeleton:
1. Elena Nikitina (RUS) ~ 2016 Worlds bronze medalist
2. Tina Hermann (GER) ~ 2016 World Champion
3. Mirela Rahneva (CAN)
Meyers Taylor is well familiar with this track, as she won a bronze medal in 2010 as a brakeman for Erin Pac.
The events will take place over a nine-day schedule:
● 1 March: Two-man races 1&2
● 2 March: Two-man races 3&4 + Two-woman races 1&2
● 3 March: Two-woman races 3&4 + Team Event
● 7 March: Men’s & Women’s Skeleton races 1&2
● 8 March: Four-man races 1&2 + Men’s & Women’s Skeleton races 3&4
● 9 March: Four-man races 3&4
Look for results here.