Olympic cycling champion Kelsey Mitchell included on Canadian bobsleigh team for Milano Cortina 2026

Team Canada has announced its 14-member bobsleigh squad for the upcoming Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. The team will compete in all four bobsleigh events: women’s monobob, two-woman, two-man, and four-man.

Canadian Team Composition

The women’s team will be led by pilots Cynthia Appiah, Melissa Lotholz, and Bianca Ribi. Lotholz and Appiah will also represent Canada in the women’s monobob competition, currently ranked sixth and seventh in the world, respectively. Lotholz has demonstrated consistent performance this season, achieving six top-six finishes in seven World Cup monobob races.

Did You Know? Canada has won 10 Olympic bobsleigh medals since 1964, including five golds.

This will be Lotholz’s third Olympic appearance and her second as a pilot. Appiah will be competing in her second Olympics, having served as an alternate at PyeongChang 2018. Ribi will make her Olympic debut after qualifying a third sled for Canada at the end of the World Cup season.

Men’s Team and Notable Transitions

Taylor Austin and Jay Dearborn will pilot the two- and four-man teams. Dearborn, a former CFL player, transitioned from brakeman to pilot and achieved podium finishes in 12 of 14 North American Cup races this season. Mike Evelyn O’Higgins brings prior Olympic experience, having finished seventh in two-man and ninth in four-man at the 2018 Games.

Expert Insight: The inclusion of athletes from diverse sporting backgrounds—like CFL players and track cyclists—highlights a strategic effort to broaden the talent pool and leverage transferable skills within the Canadian bobsleigh program.

A significant number of brakemen are transitioning from other sports. This includes active Hamilton Tiger-Cats wide receiver Keaton Bruggeling, former CFL running back Shaq Murray-Lawrence, diver Yohan Eskrick-Parkinson, and U SPORTS athletes Luka Stoikos and Mark Zanette. Chris Holmstead will serve as the men’s alternate.

Olympic Schedule and Past Performance

The women’s monobob competition will begin on February 15 and 16, overlapping with the two-man bobsleigh event from February 16-17. The two-woman bobsleigh will take place on February 20 and 21, followed by the four-man event from February 21-22. Canada secured bronze medals in both men’s four-man and women’s monobob at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many sleds will Canada enter in the two-woman event?

Canada will enter three sleds in the two-woman bobsleigh event.

Who are the pilots for the women’s teams?

The pilots for the women’s teams are Cynthia Appiah, Melissa Lotholz, and Bianca Ribi.

Which Canadian athlete has experience in both summer and winter Olympics?

Kelsey Mitchell, a former Olympic medalist in track cycling at the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics, will make her Winter Olympic debut in bobsleigh.

As the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics approach, what impact might this blend of seasoned veterans and newcomers have on Team Canada’s performance?