Canadian bobsleigh team shows its medal(s) at World Cup races in Whistler
Bianca Ribi has spent the past few years honing her bobsleigh driving skills so that she could one day compete on the world stage.
All that hard work paid off over the weekend in Whistler, B.C.
Ribi was competing in her first World Cup monobob race and she beat them all.
Winning the gold medal was a huge thrill for the Calgarian and she says doing it in front of friends and family, who had flown in from Calgary, made it even better.
"It was quite a surreal feeling to even be in the race," said the 26-year-old.
"I had no expectations of winning. I was just hoping to be able to lay down a couple of solid runs and do my country and my family proud. Coming out with the gold was totally unexpected and honestly more than I could have ever dreamed of."
MIXING IT UP WITH THE WORLD'S BEST
Ribi's two-run combined time was 1:50.89 and that was enough to beat the rest of the field.
Ribi is part of the new generation of Canadian women's bobsleigh pilots and she says being able to mix it up with the best in the world will do wonders for her confidence.
"Going forward for the rest of the season but even a great kick-start to my career to believe that I've put in the time and the work and I deserve to be where I'm at today and just keep building every week to get better. I'm still young and I've got a lot to learn but I'm very excited," said Ribi.
MORE MEDALS FOR CANADA
What made the weekend even more special is Ribi shared the podium with another Canadian – Toronto's Cynthia Appiah won silver.
As for the men, it was also a big weekend for Calgary's Taylor Austin and his four-man crew of Shaquille Murray-Lawrence, Cyrus Gray and Davidson de Souza.
The Canadians shocked the world as they slid to a bronze medal.
It was the team’s first career bobsleigh World Cup medal.
The Canadian sled rocketed down the Whistler track to a two-run time of 1:42.37.
Austin says it was a huge thrill to medal.
"To be honest, I'm still processing," said the 32-year-old.
"Obviously, last year we won a lot of races on the development circuit, so I kind of got accustomed to being on the podium. For me to be up there, it really didn't faze me too much. But since we've won, it’s kind of really hit me that this is a massive, massive feat."
The podium performance secured Austin a full-time spot on the national bobsleigh team.
The Canadian team is in Park City, Utah, this weekend for more World Cup racing.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
'Life was not fair to him': Daughter of N.B. man exonerated of murder remembers him as a kind soul
The daughter of a New Brunswick man recently exonerated from murder, is remembering her father as somebody who, despite a wrongful conviction, never became bitter or angry.
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.