  Heather Hughes and Kaillie Humphries of Canada celebrate their bronze medal win at the FIBT World Cup womens' bobsled in Whistler, British Columbia November 26, 2010. (Carmine Marinelli, QMI Agency)
|
WHISTLER, B.C. - Olympic gold medallist Kaillie Humphries' return to the Whistler Sliding Centre for the FIBT World Cup womens' bobsled opener Friday night was less-than triumphant.
The 25-year-old Calgarian blamed a steering error on the seventh corner of the Olympic track for causing her to skid down the straightaway and lose valuable milliseconds. It was a mistake that relegated her and rookie brakeman Heather Hughes, of Edmonton, to third place in the first of eight stops on the world cup tour.
"I made a major mistake," Humphries admitted. "Yes it is disappointing, but sometimes that's the way it rolls and not every run can be perfect."
Brakeman Hughes replaced Shelley-Ann Brown, of Scarborough, Ont., who suffered muscle spasms Friday afternoon. Humphries' Olympic partner Heather Moyse, of Summerside, P.E.I., is out of action because of a foot injury.
Humphries and Hughes' combined time was one-minute, 48.17 seconds, a gap of 0.47 behind winning German pilot Sandra Kiriasis and brakeman Stephanie Schneider's 1:47.7. The United States duo of Shauna Rohbock and Valerie Fleming was 0.29 behind the Germans for silver.
Hay Lakes, Alta.-raised Melissa These and Diane Kelly, of Chatham, Ont., were last in the 12-sled field with a 1:50.5 combined time.
Earlier Friday, Olympic skeleton champion Jon Montgomery, of Russell, Man., won his fourth career world cup.
Saskatoon-native Lyndon Rush, the Olympic bronze medallist, is hoping to lead his four-man bobsled team to victory on Saturday in the last event of the three-day meet. The tour moves to Calgary Nov. 29-Dec. 5.
bob.mackin@sunmedia.ca
