Canadian Olympic gold medalist Justin Kripps of Summerland, British Columbia won two medals for Canada at the 2019 World Bobsleigh and Skeleton Championships in Whistler, British Columbia. Kripps, along with Cameron Stones of Whitby, Ontario, won the silver medal in two-man bobsled on March 1. Then on March 9, Kripps, Stones, Ryan Sommer of White Rock, British Columbia and Ben Coakwell of Regina, Saskatchewan, won the bronze medal in the four-man bobsled competition.
In the two-man, Kripps and Stones had a second place time of 3:25.13. Francesco Friedrich and Thorsten Margis of Germany won the gold medal with a time of 3:24.54 and Nico Walther and Paul Krenz of Germany won the bronze medal with a time of 3:25.43. Kripps and Stones reached the podium by 0.55 seconds. Canadians Chris Spring of Calgary, Alberta and Neville Wright of Edmonton, Alberta were tied with the Great Britain team of Brad Hall and Nick Gleeson for fourth place. Both teams had a time of 3:25.68.
In the four-man, Kripps, Sommer, Stones and Coakwell had a third place time of 3:21.78. The Canadians reached the podium by 0.31 seconds over Russia, who was in fourth place with a time of 3:22.09. Germany had a gold medal time of 3:21.33. Latvia won the silver medal with a time of 3:21.62.
In women’s bobsled on March 3, Christine de Bruin of Edmonton, Alberta and Kristen Bujnowski of London, Ontario won the bronze medal with a time of 3:31.25. Mariama Jamanka and Annika Drazek of Germany won the gold medal with a time of 3:30.08. Stephanie Schneider and Ann-Christin Strack of Germany won the silver medal with a time of 3:31.14. de Bruin and Bujnowski reached the podium by 0.21 seconds over Katrin Beierl and Jennifer Onasanya of Austria, who were in fourth place with a time of 3:31.46.
Kripps won the gold medal in two-man bobsled with Alexander Kopacz of London, Ontario at the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang. The medals for Kripps, Stones, Sommer, Coakwell, de Bruin and Bujnowski will give them confidence as they prepare for the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing.
