U.S. Bobsled Pilot Runs Solo After Teammates Fail to Board

U.S. bobsled driver Kris Horn navigated a perilous solo run down the 1,722-meter track in St. Moritz, Switzerland, on January 11, 2026, after his three teammates failed to board the four-man sled during a World Cup race. The incident, which occurred during a routine push start, left Horn hurtling down the icy course at speeds approaching 75 miles per hour without the added weight or assistance of his crew, highlighting the sport's inherent risks just weeks before the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics.

Horn, 31, entered the sled first as the pilot, a standard procedure in bobsled. His teammates, pushers Ryan Rager, Hunter Powell, and Caleb Furnell, attempted to jump in behind him but stumbled in a chain reaction. Video footage showed Rager tripping initially, which disrupted Powell and Furnell, causing them to tumble into the track's side and each other. With the sled already accelerating, Horn proceeded alone into the first turn, facing reduced stability and no one to operate the brakes at the finish.

Drawing on his early experience as a brakeman, Horn maintained control from the front position through the winding course. As he crossed the finish line, he slid to the rear of the...