Laura Nolte surged to the top of the Milano Cortina 2026 women’s monobob standings after the first two heats on Sunday (15 February).

The German finished the first day of bobsleigh’s single athlete competition at the Cortina Sliding Centre with a combined time of 1:59.12, ahead of the USA duo of Beijing 2022 silver medallist Elana Meyers Taylor (1:59.34) and reigning Olympic champion Kaillie Humphries (1:59.43).

The final two runs, which will define the Olympic medallists, will take place tomorrow (16 February).

The USA team are in an excellent position to secure multiple medal podium finishes, with three of the top five hailing from the nation. Kaysha Love enters the final day in fifth position, just 0.11 seconds behind fourth-place Melanie Hasler of Switzerland.

Monobob a step in the right direction for women’s sliding

Monobob a step in the right direction for women’s sliding

Kaillie Humphries and Elana Meyers Taylor are both pleased that women get a second medal opportunity at the Winter Olympics in the monobob which debuts at Beijing 2022. They’re still hoping for full equality in the form of a four-women bobsleigh competition, but the monobob has its positives with Laura Nolte saying it gives athletes from smaller sliding nations more of a chance.

Source: https://www.olympics.com/en/milano-cortina-2026/news/winter-olympics-2026-laura-nolte-leads-women-s-monobob-after-first-two-heats-in-cortina