With the Winter Games in Italy just weeks away, Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton is sliding onto CBC Gem and CBC with the exciting, engaging three-part documentary series Redemption Run.
The first episode brings viewers to Whistler, B.C., 16 months before the Games, as members of Canada’s National Bobsleigh program walk along the ice track, observing angles and the ice surface itself. Then, we’re given the facts: Canada dominated bobsleigh for years, capturing medals on both the men’s and women’s sides.
Then, it all fell apart.
In 2022, 60 athletes signed a letter alleging a culture of fear and safety concerns, superstar Kallie Humphries left Team Canada to join the U.S. team, and Christine de Bruin was suspended for three years for an anti-doping violation. Add to that the dismantling of the track in Calgary, poor podium results, and things didn’t look good for the team.
But this series is called Redemption Run for a reason, providing interviews with pilots, team members and coaches, as well as stunning visuals both inside and outside the sleigh, to tell how the team is bouncing back to be contenders, and perhaps medal winners, in Italy.
It’s not an easy task, and the producers do an excellent job telling the team’s story through intimate, honest and raw interviews, sport explainers and truly emotional moments. You can’t help but pull for Canada on their road to redemption.
Redemption Run premieres January 23 on CBC Gem and airs February 1 at 7 p.m., with back-to-back episodes on CBC.
