The 2023 IBSF World Championships in bobsleighs and skeletons promises to be one of the most competitive editions in years, and victory is not guaranteed for the plethora of Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics champions shown.
As if that wasn’t enough, the event will take place on the picturesque natural ice track st. Moritz in Switzerland, January 26 – February 5, which means there will be quick times.
Four-time Olympic gold medalist in bobsleigh Francis Friedrich will take part in both two- and four-person events in an unfamiliar underdog position, while the reigning Olympic women’s champions in Kaillie Humphries and Laura Nolte they go head to head in the World Cup rankings.
In skeleton, men’s Olympic champion Krzysztof Grotheer and his countryman Tina Hermann they are favorites, but the chasing pack continues to close the gap to these German champions.
Below we’ll take a look at the schedule and stars to watch for the event, which also includes Debut in the Bobsleigh World Championships.
Francesco Friedrich: The hardest thing about being yourself
2023 IBSF World Championships: Men’s bobsleigh stars to watch
German Francis Friedrich is the current two- and four-time Olympic champion and has won as many as 13 world titles.
But GOAT will have a lot of work to do defending those titles in 2023 as they currently sit second in both events in the World Cup rankings.
His compatriot Johannes Lochner, who for years settled for silver at Beijing 2022 and many other events, now leads the two-man ranking and may finally claim the world crown.
Brad Hall and his British teammates have been in sensational form this season and are shocked, along with Friedrich, the four-man World Cup leaders after an impressive three wins.
This includes winning the country’s first ever European title last weekend at Altenberg, an incredible feat considering there is no sliding track in the UK.
World Championships 2023: Women’s bobsleigh stars to watch
In the ranks of women, the first ever Olympic champion in monobob Kaillie Humphries looks like the favorite in this event, but only just.
In the rankings, the US athlete is just 65 points ahead of the 2016 youth Olympic champion Lillehammer Laura Noltewho will feel confident after winning the Olympic doubles title in Beijing 2022.
Nolte is also second in this year’s Women’s Doubles World Cup, just behind the German Kim Kalicki, while Humphries is also in touch for third.
Kaillie Humphries: Beijing 2022 Medal Moments
IBSF World Championships 2023: Parabobsleigh stars to watch
The first ever IBSF Parabobsled World Champion will be announced in 2023 and the sport will make its debut.
Some of the circuit’s top names that will have their eye on the grand prize include Guillermo Castillo and Robert Balk US, Team GB’s Corie Mapp, Israel Blanco Spain, Jonah Frei Swiss and ultra-experienced Lonnie Bissonette Canada.
Check out our inspirational interview with Lonnie, who also dives, below.
Be inspired by the most extreme wheelchair athlete
2023 IBSF World Championships: Skeleton stars to watch
Veteran Skeleton Tina Hermann is a world championship machine that has won four individual women’s titles so far and will be hard to beat again in 2023.
Its closest competitors will be Mirela Rahneva Canadian and Beijing 2022 bronze medalist Kimberley Bos from the Netherlands, who both won one event this season.
The British sliding renaissance continues in the male skeleton where Matt Weston and Marcus Wyatt they are currently second and third respectively in the World Cup rankings.
But first place and the 2023 World Cup favorite tag goes to the Olympic champion Krzysztof Grotheerwhich has so far shown excellent consistency with two wins and three second places.
Another major contender on the men’s side is Germany Axel Jungkwho won Olympic silver in Beijing.
Schedule the World Bobsleigh Championships 2023
January 28
09:00 – Women’s monobob run 1 and 2
13:30 – Double run 1 and 2
January 29
10:00 – Women’s monobob run 3 and 4
13:15 – Double run 3 and 4
February 2
09:00 – Bobsleigh track 1 and 2
February 3
09:00 – Bobsleigh track 3 and 4
13:00 – Run of two women 1 and 2
February 4
09:00 – Run of two women 3 and 4
13:00 – Four-person run 1 and 2
February 5
13:00 – Quadruple run 3 and 4
2023 Skeleton World Championship schedule
January 26
09:00 – Men run 1 and 2
13:30 – Women’s run 1 and 2
January 27
09:00 – Men run 3 and 4
13:30 – Women run 3 and 4
January 29
08:00 – Skeleton mixed team
How to watch the 2023 World Bobsleigh Championships
You can catch updates online on IBSF Youtube and Facebook pages.
For more information, please check IBSF website.
