Canada's de Bruin, Bujnowski win 1st World Cup bobsleigh medal
Fellow Canadian pilot Alyssia Rissling falters in final run to finish 10th
Canadian bobsleigh pilot Christine de Bruin and brakewoman Kristen Bujnowski slid to a silver-medal finish in their World Cup season debut in Altenberg, Germany, on Saturday.
Olympic champion of Germany Mariama Jamaka won the event in a two-run, combined time of one minute, 57.25 seconds.
The Canadians finished 0.31 seconds behind the winners, while American pilot Elena Meyers-Taylor took bronze.
WATCH | Canadians take bobsleigh silver:
It was the first-career World Cup podium finish for both de Bruin, of Stony Plain, Alta., and Bujnowski, of Mount Brydges, Ont.
"I did not expect this, so it feels amazing," an elated de Bruin told Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton. "My only focus was on making sure I had clean runs. I knew if I nailed corners one, nine and 14, the results would take care of itself. But silver? I am super excited and happy."
'I am a driver through and through'
Seventh at last year's Olympics, the 29-year-old caught the attention of many with a two-run time of 1:57:56.
"Altenberg is my second favourite track to Lake Placid [N.Y.}. They are similar because they are driver's tracks," she said, "and I am a driver through and through."
A podium finish appeared to be a long shot for de Bruin and Bujnowski, an alternate on the 2018 Canadian Olympic team, who were sixth following their blast down the 17-corner track that was pelted by rain for the duration of the competition.
"We have always been able to have fun together and she definitely helped me stay relaxed in the drive," said de Bruin.
Fellow Canadian pilot Alyssia Rissling and rookie brakeman Bianca Ribi had a chance to hit the podium, but a mistake early in their second heat pushed her to a 10th-place finish.
WATCH | Olympic champion Jamaka wins in Altenberg:
You can watch more bobsleigh coverage on CBCSports.ca on Saturday with the two-man event and on Sunday with the four-man bobsleigh event on Sunday.