Team Liquid Courage won this year’s Sonny Samuelson Bobsled Race on Saturday.
A record 38 teams entered this year’s event, and each raced down Spokane St., past large and enthusiastic crowds, twice.
Liquid Courage hit a speed of 77 mph on its first run, crossing the finish line in 39.03 seconds, the fastest time of the day, and amping up the pressure for Woody’s Tire, who had a time of 39.31 seconds in the first heat.
Sadly for Woody’s Tire, they slowed down in the second heat, covering the track in 41.69 seconds, for a combined time of 1:21, losing out by mere seconds to Liquid Courage, who made their second run in 40.44 seconds, for a combined time of 1:19.47.
Later, team Liquod Courage — Alastair Berglund, Scott Urquhart, Cailen Shields and Travis Drake — celebrated their victory at the Ice Palace
Drake, spokesperson for Liquid Courage, credited their win to the sled’s skis.
“It all has to do with the conditions and you gotta have skis,” he said. “We do all of our ski tech work up at Gerick’s in Trail, and that’s what it’s about — it’s about skis. Your sled can be ugly and it doesn’t matter; it’s what’s on the bottom, not on the top.”
The S.S. Instigator took third place with a combined time of 1:22.62.
A proud Rossland tradition
Chris D’Odorico and Frank Kavanagh provided a lively commentary throughout the afternoon’s racing, providing humour and history tidbits.
They’ve been the announcers for three years.
“Prior to that, we both raced in the bobsled. I was in it for 11 years and Frank’s been retired for ten years or so from the bobsled, but he did it for many, many years before then,” said D’Odorico.
D’Odorico explained that the race first started in 1987 or 1988, and was created by Sonny Samuelson, a city public work’s foreman, for whom the race is named.
With a record number of bobsleds on the track this year — upping last year’s 29 sleds by nine — it’s hoped that the event will continue to grow and attract more participants and spectators.