Two-time Olympic champion Kaillie Humphries and American Elana Meyers Taylor have broken a gender barrier by becoming the first women to compete in a World Cup four-man bobsleigh event.
Canada's Humphries finished 15th in her history-making run, flashing down the track in a combined time of one minute, 48.87 seconds. Meyers Taylor was one spot behind her in 16th out of 17 sleds in 1:49.52.
Humphries, who was named Canada's athlete of the year earlier this month, had an all-rookie World Cup team that also comprised Joey Nemet, Dan Dale and DJ McLelland.
Dustin Greenwood, Carlo Valdes and Adrian Adams rode with Meyers Taylor.
Humphries, 29, finished over a second behind winner Oskars Melbardis, of Latvia, who clocked 1:47.84.
The International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation announced in September that the four-man discipline would be open to female athletes.
Meyers Taylor and Humphries both satisfied national qualifying standards with third-place finishes in their national team trials.
They confirmed their World Cup spots via the international federation's 5-3-2 rule, competing in five races held on a minimum of three tracks within two seasons.
Humphries, who took up bobsleigh at 18 after training as a skier, won Olympic gold in women's competition in 2010 and again in February in Sochi.
She's also a two-time World Cup winner and says she still plans to compete in women's bobsleigh. She finished third earlier Saturday in the women's two-man event behind Meyers Taylor who placed first with a combined time of 1:51.76.
Humphries and Meyers Taylor hope eventually to see a four-woman event added to the Olympic program.
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