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
  

Sarah Blizzard has recorded Australia's best ever result at an International Bobsleigh & Skeleton Federation Junior World Championships with a fourth place finish in the monobob in Winterberg, Germany.

Blizzard made a great start, with the second fastest time in run one with a time of 1:00.15 seconds. In her second run she finished in a time of 1:01.17 seconds, giving her a two-run combined time of 2:01.32 in fourth place, just missing the podium by 0.11 seconds, and 1.48 seconds behind event winner Maureen Zimmer of Germany.

To come away with Australia’s best ever result in this event in only my first year of driving is definitely something I’m proud of," said Blizzard.

"Thank you to all those who made this happen, you know who you are."

Blizzard will now rejoin Bree Walker in the two-woman bobsleigh World Cup in Altenberg next weekend.

Jackie Narracott has taken part in her first event of 2023, with a 13th place finish in Altenberg, Austria.

The result is a PB finish for Naracott on the difficult Altenberg track, improving on her previous best of 15th in 2021 and 2019.

After recording the 18th fastest time in run one completing the track in 59.88 seconds, the three-time QAS Olympian improved in un two to record the 11th fastest time of the round in 59.24 seconds.

Narracott's two run combined time of 1:59.12 put her in 13th place, 2.89 seconds behind event winner Tina Hermann of Germany.

The skeleton athletes will be back in action next weekend for an extra event in Altenberg on January 20.

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.

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

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.
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"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

The bobsleigh team of pilot Bree Walker and breakwoman Sarah Blizzard have finished 2020 with back-to-back top-ten performances in Innsbruck, Austria.

Innsbruck hosted a second weekend of World Cup events to reduce travel for the teams during COVID, with the pair finishing in a personal best eighth place a week earlier.

Walker and Blizzard were sitting in ninth place after the first run, and managed to go faster in the second run but recorded the 11th fastest run of the round. After the two runs of competition the final finishing position was tenth.

"Top ten finish and another start PB", said Sarah Blizzard after the race.

"Now time for Christmas break and we go again next year".

The next World Cup on the IBSF bobsleigh tour will be in Winterberg, Germany, on January 9.

OWIA Bobsleigh athlete Bree Walker has continued her great form in the new Olympic sport of monobob, winning back to back events over the weekend in La Plagne, France.
 
Walker has now won three straight monobob events, having won the last event she entered in at Königssee, Germany, back in mid December.
 
On day one Walker finished 0.78 seconds ahead of Karlien Sleper of the Netherlands, and on day two the winning margin was a close 0.07 seconds ahead of Andreea Grecu of Romania. On both days Mica McNeill of Great Britain finished in third place.
 
Sarah Blizzard, who competes as a breakwoman for Walker in the 2-woman bobsleigh event, made her monobob debut, finishing in 14th place on day one, and 11th place on day two.
 
The final competition of the season for the athletes will be in Lake Placid, NY, USA, with a monobob event scheduled to take place on April 3.

IMAGE: Bree Walker, and Sarah Blizzard with Margot Boch of France.

Australia's Bobsleigh and Skeleton athletes have competed in the World Cup event in Innsbruck, Austria, with  Olympian Jackie Narracott highlighting the Australian performances.

Narracott finished the Skeleton event in 15th place, a personal best finish on the Igls track, 1.24 second behind the event winner.

"Relief, happiness and pride all mixed into one", Narracott commented after the race.

"15th (my best result here) and a huge PB is everything I hoped for but more than I was expecting out of this race."

"Leaving Igls feeling good for the first time after having learnt lots. Time for Königssee!"

Also in action for Australia in the Skeleton was Nicholas Timmings in 25th place.

The two-woman Bobsleigh team of Bree Walker and Sarah Blizzard finished 16th, 2.34 seconds behind first place.

The next stop on the World Cup tour will be in Königssee, Germany, from January 24-26.

IMAGE: © Jackie Narracott Instagram