Hoffman and Meyers Taylor take silver medal in women’s bobsled World Cup

Photo courtesy of
USA Bobsled & Skelton
 Used with permission 

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2021 All Rights Reserved

ST. MORITZ, SWITZLAND (January 17, 2021) Texan Sylvia Hoffman (shown right), along with teammate Elana Meyers Taylor, established a new St. Moritz start record en route to the silver medal in this morning’s women’s bobsled World Cup race. Hoffman, who calls Arlington, Texas her home, manned the brakes with Hoffman driving the two-person sled.

The duo powered the BMW-branded sled off the block with the fastest start time (5.44 seconds), with Meyers Taylor navigated the track to the finish with the time of 1:08.56, good enough for fourth place. Meyers Taylor and Hoffman were third off the start in the opening heat, which is a disadvantage on the all-natural track. The track speeds up throughout the day, making a later draw more desirable. 

 Hoffman stated, in a prepared press release from USA Bobsled & Skeleton:

“I feel good about our start times and my runs. There are still some things I need to work on, but I’m happy with today’s finish.”

Meyers Taylor and Hoffman laid it all on the line in run two, breaking the start record in the second heat with a push time of 5.42 seconds. Meyers Taylor threaded together a nearly flawless run of 1:08.06 to temporarily hold the track record. Only one team, Germany’s Stephanie Schneider and Leonie Fiebig, could surpass the Americans. Meyers Taylor and Hoffman secured the silver medal with a combined time of 2:16.62, a mere 0.08 seconds from the Germans.

Hoffman added,

“I just want to do the best I can. I’m going out there and doing my best, pushing as hard as I can and getting into the best riding position. I’m excited every day and I can’t wait to get to our next race to lay it all down again. Hopefully next time we’ll come away with gold.”