During a World Cup race in St. Moritz, Switzerland, U.S. bobsled driver Kris Horn experienced a dramatic and dangerous run after a major failure at the start left him alone in the sled.
As the race began, Horn entered the four-man sled first, following standard procedure. However, his teammates Ryan Rager, Hunter Powell, and Caleb Furnell all struggled to get in. Rager appeared to slip first, setting off a chain reaction. Powell was thrown toward the side of the track and hit the icy surface, while Furnell was also unable to reach his position in time. Despite the chaos, all three athletes escaped serious injury, and medical checks later confirmed there were no fractures.
Powell later said he was sore but expected to recover within a few days.
With no additional weight or brakeman, Horn had no choice but to continue down the course alone. The sled reached speeds of about 75 miles per hour during the roughly one-minute run, making the descent extremely unstable. After crossing the finish line, Horn quickly moved to the back of the sled and managed to pull the brakes himself, bringing it safely to a stop.
Coaches and athletes from other teams rushed to check on him as the sled came to rest. Horn, who began his bobsled career as a brakeman, showed he was unhurt by waving to television cameras.
USA Bobsled head coach Chris Fogt said the team was fortunate the situation did not end more seriously.
The incident capped a difficult weekend for Horn, who had also crashed in the two-man event a day earlier. His brakeman in that race, Carsten Vissering, suffered minor injuries and was unable to compete in Sunday’s four-man race, which is why Rager stepped in.
With only one World Cup weekend remaining before the U.S. team for the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics is selected, Horn is still expected to be named as one of the country’s top bobsled drivers, alongside Frank Del Duca.
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