Aussie sledder Walker slides to second World Cup gold

Queenslander Bree Walker has enjoyed one of the best days of her sledding career as she sped to a second World Cup monobob gold medal on her favourite Norwegian ice track.

But the Australian, who's increasingly looking a good bet to make the podium at next year's Winter Olympics, had to share her moment of glory on Saturday with American Kaysha Love after the pair dead-heated for victory in Lillehammer.

Watching together at trackside as the final sledder Laura Nolte proved unable to beat their time, the pair threw themselves into each other's arms, whooping with delight at their golden success.

It was the first tie in the history of World Cup monobob racing, but having to share the prize wasn't about to take any gloss off 32-year-old Walker's first victory of the season.

"Really happy to be able to secure my first win of the season after being so close a few times" said the former one-lap hurdler.

"Lillehammer is a special place for me. I came away with my first career bobsleigh medals in European Cup races in the 2018/2019 season, and to also secure my second World Cup gold on this track after a silver last season, I really love the track and I enjoy sliding here.

"I was feeling really good coming into this race, but I knew it would be very competitive, as always, so I just went out there and focused on pushing really fast and driving well, and was able to come away with the win. Very happy with that."

Walker roared off with a time of 54.56 seconds in the first heat to lie second behind Germany's 2022 Olympic champion Nolte by just one-hundredth of a second.

Second time around, Walker was again second quickest, in 54.58, only to discover she had recorded exactly the same combined time of 1:49.14 as Love.

Then Nolte, the last competitor down the 1994 Olympic track, slipped up, ending up third, 0.07 seconds behind the exultant pair in third place.

Walker's 11th World Cup monobob podium in all moved her back into second place in the season's overall standings behind German Lisa Buckwitz, who leads on 1437 points.

The Australian has 1371 points, the same as Nolte but with only one race to go on the same Lillehammer track next Saturday, Buckwitz is in control of the title race, needing just to finish eighth or better to successfully defend her crown.

Sarah Blizzard, the other Australian in action on Saturday, finished 22nd.

Walker will team up with brakewoman Kiara Reddingius for the two-woman bob on Sunday.