Winter Olympian and AIS Share a Yarn ambassador Bree Walker has added some special apparel to her winter kit as she continues to compete in monobob and bobsleigh across the globe.

Walker now dons First Nations inspired gloves which were designed by Share a Yarn mentor and Olympic boxer Brad Hore.

Walker said she was eager to wear something that represented all Australians around the world who were pursuing their sporting passion.

"As part of the AIS Share a Yarn program I have learnt so much about Indigenous culture, how important inclusion is in sport and heard from many Indigenous athletes about their journeys.

"I loved hearing from Brad Hore and how as a boxer he sacrificed a lot to live away from home for his Olympic dream.

"I could really relate to that and asked Brad and the legends at XTM Performance if we could create gloves that connects all traveling Australians to our home no matter where we are in the world," Walker said.

Hore discovered his love for art during the pandemic and to date has designed and created countless pieces.

"The story on the gloves represents the coming and going, the spirit and connection to home and country," he said.

"The kangaroo footprints lead us home, the icon of Australia, it’s our countries strength and resilience when we work in a mob.

"Each meeting space is one on country and one shared with another country, but it is the representation of a home away from home, surrounded by our connection to those we call 'Aussies'.

"The lines show no matter where we are in the world, a tie connects us to where we have been and where we are going, it’s the dream and the journey that connects us all."

Walker is one of 10 athlete ambassadors undertaking the AIS Share a Yarn program which connects athletes with First Nations communities and teaches them about differing cultures, lands, histories and people within them.

QAS bobsleigh athlete Bree Walker has headed to North America for the first time in years, heading to the Lake Placid in America for a training camp on the former Olympic track, and also to compete in two North American Cup monobob events.

On the first day of competition, Walker took home the gold medal, finishing ahead of 2023 World Champion Laura Nolte of Germany, with her teammate and 2018 Olympic gold medallist Lisa Buckwitz in third.

On day two, the top-two places on the podium were reversed, with Nolte taking the win ahead of Walker, and Buckwitz again in third.

With Walker likely to be back competing in the North American World Cup events next season, and Lake Placid hosting the 2025 World Championships, the podium results will give her great confidence for the future.

2022 Olympian Bree Walker has completed her 2022-2023 international competition season in style, with podium performances in the Europe Cup two-woman events with brakewoman Sarah Blizzard in Winterberg, Germany.

In the first event, Walker and Blizzard finished in a time of 58.87, putting them in second place, just 0.1 seconds behind event winners Margot Boch and Carla Senechal of France.

Later that day the QAS slider and Blizzard competed in the second race on the Winterberg track, this time finishing with a time of 58.51 seconds, 0.32 seconds behind Boch who won both events.

Blizzard also competed in the monobob, piloting herself to a seventh place finish.

It was another successful season for Walker, highlighted by:

Monobob

• Two World Cup podium's (Silver and Bronze)
• Fourth place at the World Championships
• Three Europe Cup gold medals

Two-Woman - Bree Walker & Sarah Blizzard

• Personal best fifth place World Cup finish
  
• Two Europe Cup podiums in Winterberg
  

Bree Walker has continued her success on the Igls track in Innsbruck, Austria, with a silver medal performance at her final  IBSF World Cup monobob event of the season.

The podium performance is the QAS athlete's second for the season at the World Cup level, following her bronze medal last month in Altenberg, Germany, and the fifth time Walker has medalled on the Igls track.

Walker made a strong start recording the third fastest time in the opening run in 54.71 seconds. In the second and final run, the 2022 Olympian improved to finish with a time of 54.68 seconds which was the second fastest of the round.

Her two-run combined time of 1:49.38 was just 0.18 seconds behind event winner Lisa Buckwitz of Germany, with Canadian Cynthia Appiah rounding out the podium 0.04 seconds behind Walker in third.

“I couldn’t have asked for a better way to round out my World Cup season with the second place here in Igls,” said the 30-year-old from Queensland.

“I really enjoy sliding here, It’s easy to make it down this track, but sometimes hard to make it down fast because the slightest mistake can cost you so much time, so that provides a great challenge.”

“I’m also very happy to be improving on my results from race to race. The competition in monobob this year has really levelled up which makes for fierce racing, which is always fun.”

“It’s been a big transition season for me. My new coach Pierre Lueders has helped me take my driving to a whole new level, which has been such an exciting process.”

Walker will now join up with Sarah Blizzard to compete in the two-woman Europe Cup race in Winterberg, Germany, on February 18.

Bree Walker has created history recording Australia's best ever sliding sports performance at an IBSF World Championships, narrowly missing the podium in fourth place in the monobob event in St Moritz, Switzerland.

Competing on the spectacular hand cut ice on the natural St Moritz track, the QAS athlete put down four great runs to finish just two tenths of a second shy of the podium.

The combined total time for Walker's four runs was 4:45.77, which had her finish 0.92 seconds behind event winner Laura Nolte of Germany, with American Kaillie Humphries in second and Lisa Buckwitz of Germany in third.

"The week was really great, we had really good training figuring out the track because it changes a little bit each year," said the 2022 Olympian.

"We had a really good plan with lot's of help from the OWIA and my team, which all came together quite well so I felt very prepared for the race on the weekend."

"With the longer four run format, you have to just take it run by run, I was happy with how I executed each run.

"I had a plan with my coach and my team, and we really stuck to that plan and I am happy with how it ended up and the results at the end of the day."

Bree Walker will head into next weekends World Championships with confidence, after taking home her first monobob World Cup podium of the season in Altenberg, Germany.The QAS athlete had two consistent runs, finishing the first run in third place with a time of 1:00.92 seconds.

On run number two, Walker had a time of 1:00.97, the fourth fastest run of the round, which gave her a two-run time of 2:01.89 in third overall, 1.28 seconds behind event winner Kaillie Humphries of the USA, with German Laura Nolte in second.
Walker was delighted with the medal performance after her second run, and her best ever result on the Altenberg track, which had caused her trouble in previous years.

"This one is special", said the 2022 Olympian.

"It’s been one hell of a journey to get to a podium at an Altenberg World Cup and I’m grateful for it."

Walker will compete in St Moritz, Switzerland, in the World Championship monobob event on January 28-29, and will join brakewoman Sarah Blizzard in the two-woman the following week on February 3-4.

Bree Walker has achieved her third straight top-5 performance to open her World Cup season in Altenberg, Germany.

Competing in the monobob event, Walker was consistent with the fifth fastest first run and sixth fastest second run, giving her a combined two-run time of 1:59.25 which put her in fifth place overall.

Taking the win was American Kaillie Humphries with a two run time of 1:57.92, with Laura Nolte of Germany 0.55 seconds behind in second place, with Canadian Cynthia Appiah in third 0.94 seconds behind the winner.

The result is her best ever finish on the Altenberg track in a World Cup or World Championship start.

"This track has sure challenged me in the past, so I’m happy to take the small wins I have here this season", said the 2022 QAS Olympian.

"More to come with another opportunity next week to learn and grow as we stay in Altenberg for another World Cup."

The second monobob World Cup in Altenberg will take place on January 21, with Walker back with brakewoman Sarah Blizzard in the two-woman event on January 22.

Competing in her first World Cup events of the season, Bree Walker has made an impressive start with top-five finishes in both the monobob and two-woman events in Winterberg, Germany.

Whilst the World Cup tour commenced in North America, Walker had elected to base herself in Europe to start her Northern Winter campaign, competing on the European Cup circuit, winning gold in her three event starts.

Joining Walker in the two-woman was brakewoman Sarah Blizzard, who has also been focusing on monobob racing to start the northern winter, with the pair having limited time in the sled together ahead of this week's World Cup competition.

The pair made a great start with the fifth fastest time on the Winterberg track, just 0.63 seconds behind first place.

In the second run they had the ninth fastest time, just .02 seconds off their first run time, with a time run time of 1:55.04, 1.30 seconds behind first place in fifth overall, two places better than Walker's previous best result of seventh with brakewoman Kiara Reddingius on the same track in November 2021.

German sleds took out all of the places on the podium on their home track, with Nolte/Schuten in first place, Buckwitz/Lipperheide in second and Kalicki/Fiebig in third.

"We are over the moon with the fifth place" said Walker the 2022 Olympian.

"It was our first runs in two-man together this week, so we really didn’t know what to expect. To achieve Australia’s best two-man result today is just a great feeling."

"This result has been a long time coming for Sarah and I, we have been sliding together for many years now and finally it all came together today. Very happy and proud to get this result with her."

"We have been through thick and thin together, so it’s the best feeling to start this two-man season on a high. More to come for sure."

Earlier in Winterberg, Walker narrowly missed the podium by just 0.07 seconds in the monobob.

In such close racing, a small mistake in the middle section in the first run was to keep her off the podium, with the QAS athlete finishing in fifth, 0.26 seconds behind event winner Laura Nolte of Germany.

"Would of loved to be back on the podium in the monobob, but it wasn’t meant to be this weekend.

"We will build on this fifth place over the next few weeks, my new coach and I have been trying out a few new things so it’s just a matter of piecing the puzzle together."

Walker and Blizzard will now head to Altenberg, for the next round of the World Cup tour, with 2022 Olympic Silver Medallist Jackie Narracott competing in the skeleton.

QAS Bobsleigh pilot Bree Walker has won her third straight Europe Cup monobob event to start the season, this time in Innsbruck, Austria.

Unfortunately in the second race Walker injured her hamstring in the push on the first heat, and withdrew from heat number two.

Despite picking up the injury, Walker still won the first heat, with her time a new track record.

Sarah Blizzard also continued to improve in her first season competing in monobob, finishing eighth on day one and just missing the podium in fourth on day two.

QAS Bobsleigh pilot Bree Walker has made a great start to her northern hemisphere competition campaign with a double victory in the Europe Cup monobob events in Altenberg, Germany.

Walker commented after the race and a successful competition experience at her historically most challenging track.

"That one was special."

"If anyone knows my history on Altenberg, you would understand what it meant to just make it down this week on all four runners, let alone to walk away with the double win."

Sarah Blizzard also piloted her first monobob races, with a 12th place on day one, and tenth on day two.

The next stop on the Europe Cup circuit will be in Innsbruck Austria, on December 8-9.

It was a case of ecstasy and agony for Bree Walker and Kiara Reddingius at the Yanqing ‘Dragon' track, laying down a scintillating run to jump into top-10 contention before a challenging final run saw them finish 16th in the two-woman bobsleigh.

Entering the night in 12th after the first two of four runs completed yesterday, the pair laid down a 1:02.04 in run three to jump into 11th, within striking distance of a top-10 finish.

However, a difficult fourth run saw a 1:02.51 time for the duo to finish with a combined time of 4.08.64 in 16th.

The event was dominated by Germany, who took out gold and silver, with USA winning bronze. The winning pair of Laura Nolte and Deborah Levi finished well clear of the pack, more than 1.5 seconds ahead of bronze and 4.68 seconds ahead of the Australian duo.

The Australian pair's finish is just short of Astrid Loch-Wilkinson and Kylie Reed's 14th at Torino 2006, Australia's best ever result in the discipline. The full body of Bree and Kiara's four runs show the pair finished less than half a second outside the top 10.

While disappointed at their final run, the pair were proud of their campaign to take on the giants of the bobsleigh world.

"I don't have words for how I'm feeling yet, I'm still comprehending what has happened," Bree said. "It's been a huge campaign but I'm so grateful for our team, we've worked so hard.

"I really wanted to fix up a few mistakes I had been making all week and I think that last run I wanted it too bad.

"We couldn't have made it here or achieved what we have on our own, I'm so grateful for the team. We're all pretty much freshies, on our first Olympics, out here having a crack and making it happen."

Bree was excited to head back to Australia after more than two years away from friends and family chasing her bobsleigh dream in Europe and North America.

"We're going to head home and come down from this whole experience. I'm so excited to see my family, it's been two and a half years, I can't wait to give you all a hug."

Brakewoman Kiara, who only paired with Bree for the first-time last year, paid tribute to the work the team had put in to make their debut Olympics.

"I'm really proud of how we've done this whole campaign," the West Australian said. "This is our first Olympics and just our fourth race together.

"The thing I really like about Bree is she's willing to risk it, she's willing to chuck herself out there to find the fast lines. It might not have worked out in that final run, but we gave every single part of ourselves to this experience and this journey, you can't be more proud or happy with that.

"I'm honoured to slide with Bree and be part of this team. It's been a really long season for us, we've been away from Australia for so long."

While they would have liked to have been better in their final run, they know that doesn't define the next four years as they continue to grow and challenge the traditional sliding heavyweights.

"I love the sport and everything about it," Kiara said.

"If we can get some support behind us, it's a big campaign, I'm going to try my best to really pump it up for the future."

And after achieving Australia's best ever Olympic bobsleigh result with fifth in the monobob, and achieving 16th after just their first season together, the future is looking very bright for Australian women's bobsleigh.

olympics.com.au
Dominic Sullivan

Bree Walker has cemented Australia's best ever Olympic bobsleigh result, as she jumped up the leaderboard to finish fifth after a pulsating final day of racing in the women's monobob.

From yesterday sitting tenth after her first run and seventh after her second, Bree came out firing to put down the second fastest times in both runs three and four to jump into fifth overall.

Bree gave herself every opportunity to continue to climb the rankings, notching 1:04.16 in run three to jump to fifth, and 1:05.21 in run four which showed she is in the top echelon of monobob pilots.

The USA took out the gold-silver quinella with Kaillie Humphries and Elana Meyers Taylor, while Canada's Christine de Bruin in third was just 0.43 of a second ahead of Bree's overall time of 4:21.26.

After missing out on PyeongChang 2018, Bree was ecstatic to keep her promise to not only qualify for Beijing 2022, but to mix it with the best in the world.

"I'm so proud to achieve our best ever result in Olympic bobsled," Bree said post-race.

"You can never count an Aussie out, I fought back today. The girls who are out there are the best pilots in the world, to be fifth in the world behind them at my first Olympics, I'm so happy.

"Four years ago I was on the sidelines at the Olympics and now I'm fifth, in a highlight event where I'm a proper competitor, challenging those girls who I watched four years ago. It's worth all the effort.

"I wanted to be able to show people at home and around the world. If you want something hard enough you can go out and make it happen."

Bree's finish means the Australian Team has now notched its best ever Olympic results in each of the sliding disciplines – which is a combination of Bree's fifth, Jackie Narracott's skeleton silver and Alex Ferlazzo's 16th in luge.

Bree will now join teammate Kiara Reddingius in the two-woman bobsleigh, with training runs starting tomorrow before the first day of competition on Friday 18 February.

olympics.com.au
Dominic Sullivan

Bree Walker opened her Olympic monobob campaign in style, sitting in seventh position after the first two of four runs.

With the sport making its Olympic debut, the 20 competitors took to the track in tough conditions, with dumping snow and much colder conditions than during the three days of training ensuring athletes had to adapt to the new ice conditions.

Bree started with a 1:05.55 to sit tenth after her first run, with a number of wall touches in the top section robbing her of her top speed.

As conditions toughened, Bree put down an almost identical 1:05.54 in the second run. Several of her rivals struggled to maintain their speed in the tougher conditions, and Bree jumped up three spots to sit seventh.

Bree is 1.99 seconds behind leader Kaillie Humphries of the USA and 0.77 behind current bronze positioned slider Laura Nolte of Germany.

Bree said she was happy with her improvements and is focused on putting herself in the mix in tomorrow's final runs.

"I'm not making it easy for myself that's for sure, but I'm a fighter and will keep climbing back up the tally board," Bree said.

"The track was colder today, with harder ice, but I don't think it affected our results. I need to focus on what I need to do in my process.

"I know I can continue to be consistent and clean up my runs. I was really happy with the second run in general. I need to go and replicate that tomorrow.

"I've worked really hard to be here, I'm so proud to be here [for] the first time monobob has been at the Olympics."

The 29-year-old will hit the track tomorrow at 12:30pm AEDT for her third and fourth runs, with medals decided on combined times after the fourth run.

olympics.com.au
Dominic Sullivan

Bree Walker has continued her successful season in monobob, with a silver medal performance in Winterberg, Germany.
 
The podium performance for Walker is her fifth of the season and sees her move into second place on the world standings.
 
Monobob is set to make its debut at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing, with Walker regarded as one of the leading athletes in the event.
 
The 29-year-old from Queensland was in second place after the first run, despite crashing on the last corner and sliding across the finish line on her side.
 
It is not uncommon for sleds to go down on the last corner in Winterberg, with it often referred to as the victory roll due to its close proximity to the finish line.
 
In the second and final run, Walker showed she was impacted by the previous run, recording the fastest time of the round finishing just 0.17 seconds behind first place with a two run combined time of 1:58.93 seconds.
 
The event was won by American Elana Meyers Taylor with a time of 1:58.76, with German Laura Nolte in third with a time of 1:59.01.
 
“I am really satisfied with what I have been able to produce so far this season in the monobob” ,said Walker after extending her podium streak to five straight events.
 
“I am really proud of how I have been able to put together races and continually be on the podium, so I hope I can continue to produce good results like this heading into the next weeks monobob race in in St Moritz and then also at the Olympic Winter Games.”
 
“A very exciting time but it isn’t over yet.”

Walker teamed up with brakewoman Kiara Reddingius to compete in the two-woman bobsleigh the following day, recording an eighth place performance, her second top-10 World Cup performance of the season.
 
Also in action for Australia in the Europe Cup series in Innsbruck, Austria, was Ashleigh Werner, who took home a silver and bronze medal in the monobob world series events and teamed up with brakewoman Tia-Clair Toomey-Orr to finish in fourth place in the two-woman bobsleigh.

In the skeleton World Cup event in Winterberg, Jacqui Narracott had one of her best results of the season, finishing in 11th place.

"Finally a decent result. 11th with the fourth fastest run of heat two is a pretty good way to start 2022, said the 2018 Olympian.
 
The Australian bobsleigh and skeleton athlete will compete next weekend at the final World Cup of the season in St Moritz, Switzerland. 

Aussie Bobsledder Bree Walker has continued her great form in Monobob, claiming her third podium of the season with a silver medal at the IBSF World Series event in Sigulda, Latvia.
 
Walker's trademark electric start was on display again as she shattered the track's previous start record. Despite some small driving difficulties in her 2nd heat, Walker held on for the silver medal spot, 0.02 seconds ahead of Nadezhda Sergeeva of Russia in third place and 0.56 seconds behind Canadian Christine de Bruin who took home the gold medal.
 
“Starting 2022 with second place in Sigulda Monobob World Series”, said the 29-year-old from Queensland.

“Very happy to start the new year off with another podium!
 
“Thank you so much to my team, family, friends and sponsors for all your support in 2021! Excited for what is to come in 2022.”
 
Also recording a strong performance for Australia was Ashleigh Werner who finished in sixth place, 0.8 second behind first place.
 
In the two-woman bobsleigh, Ashley Werner and brakewoman Tia-Clair Toomey-Orr teamed up for their first ever World Cup start, and were the best placed Australian’s in 12th place. The result was a personal best World Cup finish for Werner, and the World Cup debut for Toomey-Orr, who is a 5 time Crossfit Games champion and Commonwealth Games gold medallist in weightlifting.
 
The team of Walker and brakewoman Kiara Reddingius were set for a top-5 run but crashed towards the end of the Sigulda track, sliding across the finishing line on their side. The pair recovered to take the second run, but unfortunately crashed again to finish in 18th place.
 
Team Walker will now head to Winterberg, Germany, for the next round of World Cup competition, with Team Werner off to Innsbruck, Austria, for a Europe Cup event.

Bobsled Bree Walker continued her successful 2021 season, claiming gold in the Monobob World Series race in Winterberg, Germany.

Focusing on additional experience on the Winterberg track, Walker elected to forego the World Cup event on the same weekend in Altenberg with great results, finishing first ahead of Germany’s Lisa Buckwitz and France’s Margot Boch.

At the Altenberg World Cup event, Ashleigh Werner finished 17th in the monobob, before teaming with Kiara Reddingius in the 2-woman bobsleigh, also finishing in 17th.

Bree Walker has claimed the first Australian world cup podium of the Olympic season.
 
Walker continued her strong start in World Cup competition, with an impressive performance in the monobob discipline in  Innsbruck, Austria, taking home the bronze medal in the second event of the IBSF tour.
 
Monobob is set to make its debut at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing, with Walker regarded as one of the leading athletes in the sport, having finished the 2020-2021 season ranked second in the world.
 
The 29-year-old from Queensland was in second place after the first round of competition and moved back one place to finish in third place after the second run.
 
The event was won by American Elana Meyers Taylor, with German Laura Nolte in second.
 
“We made a few important changes this week which obviously had a huge impact”, said Walker after stepping off the podium.
 
“This race certainly gives me confidence, but this season is a marathon, not a sprint, so we hope to build of this result and continue to trust the process for the rest of the season.”
 
Also in action for Australia was Ashley Werner, who finished in 21st place.
 
Walker and Werner will be back in action tonight in Innsbruck, competing in the two-woman bobsleigh World Cup.

IMAGE: IBSF/Viesturs Lacis

Bree Walker has made a strong start at the opening Woman's Monobob World Series event in Innsbruck, Austria, narrowly missing the podium in sixth place.

In a tight race, after two runs just 0.25 seconds separated Walker from event winner Elana Meyers Taylor of the USA, and just 0.11 from claiming the bronze medal.
 
Rounding out the podium was Meyers Taylor teammate Kallie Humphries in second place with German Laura Nolte in third.
 
"I'm very happy to start the season off with a top six place," said the 29-year-old Walker.

"Of course we always look for the podium but this is a very different year.

"No-one is messing around and you can see that by how tight the field is but it makes for really fun racing.


Ashley Werner also made her debut in a Monobob World Series event, finishing in 19th place.
 
Both athletes are aiming to compete for Australia when Monobob makes its debut at the Beijing Olympic Winter Games in February.
 
Werner and breakwoman Kiara Reddingius also made their World Cup debut in the two-woman bobsleigh event, finishing the highest placed  Australians in 19th, with Walker and her breakwoman Sarah Blizzard just behind in 22nd.
 
The Bobsleigh and Skeleton World Cup tour will remain in Innsbruck for one more week, with additional weekend of competition next weekend..

IMAGE: ©Rekords/IBSF

Bree Walker has claimed her third medal of the northern hemisphere winter, taking bronze in the final monobob event of the season in Königssee, Germany.

The podium performance moves the QAS athlete into second place on IBSF end of year rankings in the new Olympic sport which will make it's debut in Beijing 2022. 

Walker finished just 0.54 seconds behind Swiss sliders Melanie Hasler and Martina Fontanive who tied for first place.
 
"This season we set our standards high, despite there being a global pandemic and this resulted in our biggest and best season by far" Walker commented.

"Medals and top ten finishes against the most competitive fields the sport has seen in many years, so we are very proud of what we have been able to achieve for Australia."

"Hopes are that we can just go from strength to strength as a team.

"This will require a lot of hard work and dedication to our sport and finding sponsors to help us go even faster (we are going to need the support that’s for sure) but this season has really motivated us and we are going to put everything we have into this Olympic year."

Walker had planned to finish her two woman bobsleigh season at the final event of the World Cup season in Konigsee, but the event was cancelled due to a track temperature equipment malfunction.

With the season now finished, Walker will now return back to Australia.

IMAGE: Bree Walker celebrates with her third place trophy in Königssee © Bree Walker Instagram

QAS athlete Bree Walker has had a difficult week at the IBSF World Championships in Alttenberg, Germany, unable to finish in the monobob experiencing mechanical failure & rolling her Bobsled in the third heat.

The Altenberg track is notoriously unforgiving and rated as one of the most challenging on the global circuit. True to form it proved treacherous for a number of competitors in this years World Championships. 

At World Championship and Olympic sliding events, four heats take place to decided the winner, and after the first two heats on day one Walker was in 15th place, 2.11 seconds behind first place.

Racing in the third heat on the second day of competition, Walker had a great start recording the third fastest start time and was set for an improved run before her sled toppled over towards the end of the course. After sliding upside down for a section of the track, the sled did recover and Walker was able to complete her run ranked 18th overall after three heats.

After the incident in the previous run, Walker was forced to withdraw from the fourth and final heat due to mechanical breakage of her sled.

Walker will now compete in the final monobob world series event next weekend in Konigssee, Germany, on February 20.

IMAGE: Bree Walker in the start gate at Altenberg © IBSF TV

The two-woman Bobsleigh team of QAS pilot Bree Walker and breakwoman Sarah Blizzard have been unable to compete in the opening event of the IBSF World Championships in Altenberg, Germany, after two crashes in training.

Walker posted on social medial the decision to withdraw from the two-woman event.

"I’m never one to give up, I always find a way to make it happen. Our team is always the ones that get back up, get back in and goes again. But as I have grown as an athlete I have also learnt when pushing through could do more harm then good.
.
"In preparation for the 2021 World Championship in Altenberg, Sarah and I had two rough crashes that left us feeling pretty beat up.

"This track demands respect and with not having a spare teammate and the way we were feeling we had to weigh up whether competing this weekend would bring us the results we knew we were capable of.
.
"So it is with a heavy heart, we have decided not to race in the two-man event this weekend. We had to think about our own health as we still have a lot that we want to achieve in the next year leading towards the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games. Good luck to everyone who is competing this weekend and we will see you back next week for the Monobob event."
 
Walker will be back in action competing in the Monobob event at the World Championships later this week on February 13-14.

Walker is the equal world number one in Monobob after the last event in Austria, and the QAS athlete will be back in action competing at the World Championships in that event later this week on February 13-14.
 
IMAGE: Bree Walker and Sarah Blizzard in Winterberg earlier in the season © IBSF / Viesturs Lacis

Bree Walker has continued her great form in the monobob event, taking gold in the World Series event in Innsbruck, Austria, and moving into equal first place on the world standings.

The QAS athlete defended her victory from earlier in the season in Innsbruck, making it one of her favorite tracks for competition. Walker has now competed in eleven monobob events, emerging victorious an impressive seven times in the new Olympic event which will debut in Beijing 2022.

Walker also set both a new start and track record during the first run in Innsbruck.
 
The result will no doubt give Walker plenty of confidence heading into the 2021 World Championships, which will take place in Altenberg, Germany in mid February.

Finishing in second place 0.23 seconds behind Walker was American Elana Meyers Taylor, with Melissa Lotholz from Canada 0.38 seconds in third place.
 
“We are still trying to work out the new monobob sleds, but it seems we have worked it out here,” Walker said after the race.
 
“I’m over the moon to come back here and defend my win from earlier in the season in a much stronger field this time.”
 
“I knew my process well here, so I just stuck to the plan and it paid off.”
 
“I’m excited to compete in my second world championships in Altenberg, so will focus on working out my process there and executing it to the best of my ability.”
 
Walker teamed up with breakwoman Sarah Blizzard. the following day to compete in the two two-woman bobsleigh World Cup.

The pair finished in 13th place, 0.83 seconds behind the event winners from America Kaillie Humphries and Lolo Jones.

Walker and Blizzard will now prepare for the 2021 World Championships, which will take place in Altenberg Germany. The World Championships open with the two woman bobsleigh on February 5-6 with monobob scheduled to take place on February 13-14.
 
IMAGE: Bree Walker celebrates victory in Innsbruck  © IBSF / Viesturs Lacis

QAS athlete Bree Walker has competed in two events at the World Cup in Königssee, Germany, with a ninth place finish in the Monobob and 12th in the two-woman bobsleigh.

In the monobob event, Walker was in 12th place after the first run, but had a much improved second run to record the seventh fastest time of the round.

Interestingly and very promising for future improvement was that Walker was in the four fastest starters on both runs.

This gave Walker and overall placing of ninth, 1.25 seconds behind the event winner Kaillie Humphries of the USA. Rounding out the podium was Humphries American teammate Elana Meyers Taylor in second with German Stephanie Schneider in third.

On Sunday Walker teamed up with breakwoman Sarah Blizzard in the two-woman event, finishing in 12th place,

The pair were sitting in ninth place after the first run, and had the 13th fastest second run, finishing 1.09 seconds behind event winners from Germany Kim Kalicki and Ann-Christin Strack.

In second place was the German team of Stephanie Schneider/Leonie Fiebig, with Americans Elana Meyers Taylor/Sylvia Hoffman in third.

The World Cup tour will now head to Innsbruck, Austria, for a monobob event on January 30 and bobsleigh on January 31.
 
IMAGE: Bree Walker and Sarah Blizzard last week in St Moritz © physioelite_usa

QAS athlete Bree Walker has recorded two top-10 performances at the World Cup Bobsleigh events over the weekend in St Moritz, Switzerland.

Competing on the spectacular hand cut ice on the natural St Moritz track, athletes had a difficult week with lots of snow falling, making training difficult ahead of the competition days.

In the monobob event on Saturday, Walker finished in seventh place, 1.03 second behind the event winner, Kaillie Humphries of the USA, with Laura Nolte of Germany in second and Martina Fontanive of Switzerland in third.

On Sunday Walker teamed up with breakwoman Sarah Blizzard in the two-woman event, finishing in ninth place, their fourth top-10 of the season. 

Taking the win was the German pair of Stephanie Schneider/Leonie Fiebig, with Americans Elana Meyers Taylor/Sylvia Hoffman in second place, with the Swiss team of Melanie Hasler/Irina Strebel in third.

The World Cup tour will now head to Konigssee, Germany, for a monobob event on January 23 and bobsleigh on January 24.
 
IMAGE: Bree Walker and Sarah Blizzard on the scenic St Moritz track © Rekords

The bobsleigh team of pilot Bree Walker (QAS) and breakwoman Sarah Blizzard have made a strong start to 2021, with a ninth place finish in the World Cup event in Winterberg, Germany.

The team had the ninth fastest run in the opening round, and then stepped it up in the second run to record an impressive fifth fastest time on the Winterberg track.

Taking the win was the German pair of Laura Nolte/Deborah Levi with the second German team of Kim Kalicki/Ann-Christin Strack in the silver medal position, with Katrin Beierl/Jennifer Onasanya of Austria in third.

"Very happy to kick the new year off with another top-10 result in Winterberg and with the progress we are making in the two-man this season" Walker commented after the race.

The next World Cup on the IBSF bobsleigh tour will be in St Moritz, Switzerland, with a monobob event on January 16, and a two woman event on January 17.

IMAGE: Walker & Blizzard happy (smiles under the mask) with their start to 2021 in Winterberg © Rekords