Lumsden sixth after first two runs

WHISTLER, B.C. - His skip doesn’t sound as confident, but Jesse Lumsden says that they can use the comeback runs by Canada’s skeleton gold medal winner John Montgomery as inspiration to reach the podium in the Sunday’s second  half of the two-man bobsleigh competition.

The 27-year-old brakeman for five-time Olympian Pierre Lueders in Canada 2, stand sixth after the first two heats, with the final pair over the treacherous Whistler track set for Sunday at 7 p.m. eastern time.

Lueders and Lumsden had a combined total of one minute and 44.06 seconds for their two runs (51.94 in heat 1, 52.12 in the nightcap) well behind  German legend Andre Lange who finished is at 1:43:31.

Germany’s second drive, Thomas Florschuetz is in second at 1:43.42 while Russia’s Alexsandr Zubkov holds the last podium spot at 1:43.81, exactly one-quarter of a second ahead of Lueders.

In such a precise, technical sport, that’s not easy, but it’s doable, especially with this track taking such a toll on so many sleds. And in Lueders, who’s won both gold and silver in previous Olympic two-man races, and Lumsden, the former Ticat, now Eskimo, running back, you’re talking about a couple of guys with a real flair for the dramatic.

“I don’t know about that,” Lueders said of his medal chances. “But before I worry about that I’m going to try to put down two runs. If I can get my act together …..I’ve had much better runs than I’ve had here.”