| Jill
Bakken |
 |
Jill
Bakken was one of the first women to pilot a bobsled in the early, formative
years of the women's Olympic event. She toured in the first World
Cup races and eventually won
the Gold Medal at the 2002 Olympic Winter Games at the inaugural Women's
Bobsled event. She is now retired from the sport and is a wife, mother
and forever an Olympian. |
| Erica
Fischbach |
 |
Received
the Federal Cross of Merit
for her dedication to sport, particularly the sport of Bobsled. Erica
was--and is--very supportive of athletics and was a major influence in
the establishment of the international women's discipline and success
of the German team--the Damenbobs. |
| Stew
Flaherty |
 |
Stew
Flaherty was a
leading force establishing the IOC approval of the Olympic bobsled
event for women. He was successful in aligning support and strong relationships
to achieve this goal, and he was an enormous supporter in the training
and encouragement to the competitive athletes during that era. |
| Jean
Racine Prahm |
 |
Jean
(Racine) Prahm is arguably one of the best bobsled pilots ever, gender
aside. She was formidable in her control, and pushed the level of excellence
early in the women's competition. The speed at which the driving skills
in women's sport advanced is largely due to Jean's enormous talent and
drive. |
| Becky
Matanic |
 |
Working
tirelessly with Stew Flaherty, Becky Matanic was almost solely responsible
for public support
of the women's bobsleigh sport by developing a successful public affairs
program. Her passion for the cause and her enormous persistence paid off. |
| Francoise
Burdet |
 |
Honoring
the depth and significance of bobsleigh history in Switzerland, Francoise
Burdet was the leading competitors in women's bobsleigh sport from the
start. She drove the yellow sled with poise and skill, winning the World
Cup title four seasons in a row from 1995-96 to 1998-99. |
| Joey
Kilburn |
 |
A
former bobsled competitor, Joey Kilburn served as the Director of the
Women's Program for the FIBT during the inaugural years. He continues
to serve as a track official in the World Cup. |
| Shauna
Rohbock |
 |
Shauna
Rohbock was a pioneer brakeman sliding with Jill Bakken before she
drifted to the front of the sled. Early in her career, Shauna's push talent
broke track records while she made enormous contributions to the validation
of the discipline on the World Cup tour. Eventually, Shauna earned the
title of an Olympian, many times over. Shauna served in the
US Army reserves and retired
from the sport after the 2010-2011 season. |
| Susi
Erdmann |
 |
Perhaps
the most decorated bobsled athlete in the women's field, Susi Erdmann
shifted to bobsled from luge in 1999 to become a key competitor on the
pre-Olympic Women's World Cup Race. Her success seemed effortless as she
earned numerous regional,
national, and international medals, including an Olympic bronze in 2002. |
| Sandra
Prokoff-Kiriasis |
 |
From
the first time Sandra Prokoff-Kiriasis competed in the World Cup in the
2000-01 season, she dominated
the field. She contributed greatly to the impression that women were
skilled in the sport--and worthy of spectatorship -- as she fostered intense
competition, many times with her landsman and friend, Susi Erdmann. |
| Christina
Smith |
 |
Who
can forget
Christina Smith walking the 2002 Olympic Park City track wrapped in
the Canadian flag? Carrying the strong Canadian bobsled tradition, Christina
was one of the 6 major competitors on the Women's World Cut circuit before
the IOC approval for the Olympic event. She was a dedicated advocate for
the sport--and what we remember most is her great smile and her ambassadorship. |
| Sigi
Feuser |
 |
In
1984, New York State banned women bobsled athletes from the Lake Placid
track and the US Federation did not help, but the Canadian women caught
the spirit and took the game to Calgary.
Had it not been for Sigi Feuser, the women's teams might not have
bridged that gap and the road may have been many miles longer! |
