Just weeks before the Winter Olympics, Kris Horn earned praise for keeping his cool when a team crisis hit the St. Moritz World Cup. It started as a routine four-man bobsled run but quickly turned chaotic when his three teammates struggled to get into the sled, leaving the 31-year-old Olympian to race down the icy track solo.

The drama unfolded on January 11, 2026, during the four-man World Cup race. Horn climbed into the sled first as the driver. But his three teammates, Ryan Rager, Hunter Powell, and Caleb Furnell, struggled to get into the moving sled after the push start.

In a matter of seconds, Horn was alone in the lead, the sled rocketing along the icy, winding track with no one to help share the weight or to help guide the run. Even Martin Haven, a British freelance motorsport commentator, was stunned:

“Kris Horn is on his own, absolute disaster for the Americans, they can’t believe it. Running it all the way down into turn one is always what the American four-man teams have done, and it has its perils…”

All alone, Horn faced a high speeds unsuited for one person and, of course, it was a risky challenge. With no extra weight and no one to operate the brakes at the bottom, he navigated the 1,722-metre St. Moritz track at around 75 mph (120 kph).

After reaching the finish line, everyone watched anxiously to see how he would stop. Calmly, Horn slid to the back of the sled, the brakeman’s usual position, and pulled the handles, bringing it safely to a halt.

And soon coaches and athletes from other teams quickly rushed over. Horn, who began his career as a brakeman, waved to the cameras to signal that he was unharmed, his calmness under pressure drawing respect from everyone around.

“We are fortunate it wasn’t worse,” said USA Bobsled head coach Chris Fogt, praising Horn’s skill and quick thinking in a dangerous situation.

Fortunately, all the athletes were injury-free, though Powell described himself as “a little sore.”

Even though Kris Horn’s solo effort was worth praising, the U.S. team was disqualified as four-man teams are required to finish with all members. But does that mean they are out of the Olympics?

Kris Horn is still in a strong position to make the U.S. Olympic Bobsled team

USA Bobsled and Skeleton has one World Cup race weekend left before the team for the Milano‑Cortina Winter Olympics is officially named. That means selectors still have time to evaluate performances across the whole season.

Despite the dramatic solo run at St. Moritz, the 2012 Decathlon National Champion and former All-American in the pentathlon, decathlon, and distance medley relay, is still expected to be named as one of the U.S. men’s bobsled drivers.

Horn is also a one-time Olympian, having represented the United States at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, where the the U.S. four-man bobsled team finished 10th in the event.

In the 2025-26 Bobsleigh World Cup overall four-man standings, Kris Horn is currently ranked 10th with 768 points, while top pilots like Johannes Lochner (GER) lead with 1,305 points.

But the weekend in St. Moritz was particularly difficult for Horn. Even on January 10, 2026, he also crashed out of the two-man World Cup race. His brakeman for that event, Carsten Vissering, suffered abrasions. This forced Horn’s crew to make last-minute adjustments.

Even with all the setbacks, Kris Horn’s skill keeps him in strong contention for Team USA at the Winter Olympics.