British Bobsleigh Association
Europa Cup Round 01,02 and 03
01 December 2008
Igls Race Reports November 2008
Europa Cup Rounds 01 and 02 (and 03) - Igls Race Reports, November 2008
The international 2008 - 09 bobsleigh season opened with a Europa Cup event at Igls, which is set in the Tirol region of Austria, high up above the city of Innsbruck. This was the start of the eight races that comprise the Europa Cup. Due to the promotion of the Konigssee event from Europa Cup to a World Cup, Igls saw three Men's races and two Women's races being held in the same week, to make up the eight races.
2-Man Bobsleigh Races 01, 02 and 03
There was an extremely large entry of 47 bobsleighs for the three 2-Man races held at Igls on 19th, 20th and 22nd November 2008. Races 1 and 2 were won by the dominant German crew of Karl Angerer / Gregor Bermach with Manuel Machata / Matej Juhart of Germany also taking third place in both races. Although the German brakeman were changed for Race 3, the same drivers finished in the same positions, with Karl Angerer / Andreas Udvari winning and Manuel Machata / Matej Juhart taking third place. Second place was claimed by Ivo Danilevic/ Roman Gomola of Czechoslovakia in Race 1 and Dimitry Abramovitch / Philipp Egorev of Russia in Races 2 and 3.
The GB1 pairing for Races 1 and 2 were Royal Marines John Jackson / Jamie Devlin who recorded a creditable 8th place in Race 1 and finished in 13th place in Race 2 after having been in 10th position after the first run. For Race 3, Keith McLaughlin of the RAF replaced Jamie Devlin. The pairing of John Jackson / Keith McLaughlin went on to finish 10th in Race 3, having been in 8th position after the first of the two runs.
The GB2 team saw Royal Marine driver Martin Wright paired with Army Doctor Henry Nwume as his brakeman. Martin Wright / Henry Nwume put in three really good performances to finish 6th, 7th and 7th in Races 1, 2 and 3, in an impressive display of consistency that saw all their start times being within 0.03 second.
Two GB Development Teams made their debut, these being drivers in their first year of Europa Cup competition. On this occasion, the pairing of Kenny Simm / Chris Woolley came out best, taking 33rd, 33rd and 30th places in Race 1, 2 and 3 respectively, with Steve Stewart / Adam Randle not too far behind, taking 37th, 35th and 34th places out of the 47 bobsleigh entry.
4-Man Bobsleigh Races 01, 02 and 03
The three 4-Man Europa Cup bobsleigh races were held on 22nd and 23rd November 2008. These saw Russian Team of Dimitry Abramovitch / Philipp Egorev / Andrey Jurkov / Petr Moiseev win Race 1 and 2, and pick up a 2nd place in Race 3. The third Race was won by the German team of Karl Angerer / Andreas Udvari / Sebastian Schafers / Gregor Bermach.
The GB1 bobsleigh of John Jackson / Jamie Devlin / Keith McLaughlin / Matt Roberts finished 10th in Race 1. For Races 2 and 3, Roger Smith replaced Matt Roberts, with the team again finishing in 10th place in Race 2 and finishing in 11th place in Race 3.
The GB2 bobsleigh of John Hillman / Henry Nwume / Lamin Deen / Ryan Freckleton came 18th, 19th and 18th respectively in Races 1, 2 and 3, but recorded the 14th best time in their second run of Race 3, which promises even better results for Army driver John Hillman in the future.
Women's Bobsleigh Races 01 and 02
The two Women's Europa Cup bobsleigh races were held on 20th November 2008 and were both won by Anja Schneiderh Stoeckel / Patricia Polifka of Germany, with Fabienne Meyer / Anne Dietrich coming 2nd. In Race 1, Stefanie Szczurek / Fanziska Bertels of Germany finished 3rd and in Race 2, Isable Baumann / Cora Huber of Switzerland finished 3rd.
The GB1 pairing of Paula Walker / Kelly Thomas finished a fine 6th in Race 1 and came 10th in Race 2, after recording consistent start times of between 5.75 and 5.79 seconds. Army driver Paula Walker is in her second season of bobsleigh racing, having finished her debut year with a 5th place in the Junior World Championships at Igls in February 2008.
The GB Development Team saw RAF driver Kerry Morgan make her debut paired with Julia Hubbard for Race 1 and Shauna Vetch for Race 2. Kerry Morgan / Julia Hubbard finished in 23rd place in Race 1 and Kerry Morgan / Shauna Vetch finished in 26th place in Race 2.
Race Reports written by Mark Carter - Performance Coordinator
The international 2008 - 09 bobsleigh season opened with a Europa Cup event at Igls, which is set in the Tirol region of Austria, high up above the city of Innsbruck. This was the start of the eight races that comprise the Europa Cup. Due to the promotion of the Konigssee event from Europa Cup to a World Cup, Igls saw three Men's races and two Women's races being held in the same week, to make up the eight races.
2-Man Bobsleigh Races 01, 02 and 03
There was an extremely large entry of 47 bobsleighs for the three 2-Man races held at Igls on 19th, 20th and 22nd November 2008. Races 1 and 2 were won by the dominant German crew of Karl Angerer / Gregor Bermach with Manuel Machata / Matej Juhart of Germany also taking third place in both races. Although the German brakeman were changed for Race 3, the same drivers finished in the same positions, with Karl Angerer / Andreas Udvari winning and Manuel Machata / Matej Juhart taking third place. Second place was claimed by Ivo Danilevic/ Roman Gomola of Czechoslovakia in Race 1 and Dimitry Abramovitch / Philipp Egorev of Russia in Races 2 and 3.
The GB1 pairing for Races 1 and 2 were Royal Marines John Jackson / Jamie Devlin who recorded a creditable 8th place in Race 1 and finished in 13th place in Race 2 after having been in 10th position after the first run. For Race 3, Keith McLaughlin of the RAF replaced Jamie Devlin. The pairing of John Jackson / Keith McLaughlin went on to finish 10th in Race 3, having been in 8th position after the first of the two runs.
The GB2 team saw Royal Marine driver Martin Wright paired with Army Doctor Henry Nwume as his brakeman. Martin Wright / Henry Nwume put in three really good performances to finish 6th, 7th and 7th in Races 1, 2 and 3, in an impressive display of consistency that saw all their start times being within 0.03 second.
Two GB Development Teams made their debut, these being drivers in their first year of Europa Cup competition. On this occasion, the pairing of Kenny Simm / Chris Woolley came out best, taking 33rd, 33rd and 30th places in Race 1, 2 and 3 respectively, with Steve Stewart / Adam Randle not too far behind, taking 37th, 35th and 34th places out of the 47 bobsleigh entry.
4-Man Bobsleigh Races 01, 02 and 03
The three 4-Man Europa Cup bobsleigh races were held on 22nd and 23rd November 2008. These saw Russian Team of Dimitry Abramovitch / Philipp Egorev / Andrey Jurkov / Petr Moiseev win Race 1 and 2, and pick up a 2nd place in Race 3. The third Race was won by the German team of Karl Angerer / Andreas Udvari / Sebastian Schafers / Gregor Bermach.
The GB1 bobsleigh of John Jackson / Jamie Devlin / Keith McLaughlin / Matt Roberts finished 10th in Race 1. For Races 2 and 3, Roger Smith replaced Matt Roberts, with the team again finishing in 10th place in Race 2 and finishing in 11th place in Race 3.
The GB2 bobsleigh of John Hillman / Henry Nwume / Lamin Deen / Ryan Freckleton came 18th, 19th and 18th respectively in Races 1, 2 and 3, but recorded the 14th best time in their second run of Race 3, which promises even better results for Army driver John Hillman in the future.
Women's Bobsleigh Races 01 and 02
The two Women's Europa Cup bobsleigh races were held on 20th November 2008 and were both won by Anja Schneiderh Stoeckel / Patricia Polifka of Germany, with Fabienne Meyer / Anne Dietrich coming 2nd. In Race 1, Stefanie Szczurek / Fanziska Bertels of Germany finished 3rd and in Race 2, Isable Baumann / Cora Huber of Switzerland finished 3rd.
The GB1 pairing of Paula Walker / Kelly Thomas finished a fine 6th in Race 1 and came 10th in Race 2, after recording consistent start times of between 5.75 and 5.79 seconds. Army driver Paula Walker is in her second season of bobsleigh racing, having finished her debut year with a 5th place in the Junior World Championships at Igls in February 2008.
The GB Development Team saw RAF driver Kerry Morgan make her debut paired with Julia Hubbard for Race 1 and Shauna Vetch for Race 2. Kerry Morgan / Julia Hubbard finished in 23rd place in Race 1 and Kerry Morgan / Shauna Vetch finished in 26th place in Race 2.
Race Reports written by Mark Carter - Performance Coordinator