CALGARY — As Canada’s bobsleigh team enters a critical Olympic year, Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton is turning the camera inward with the launch of Redemption Run, a three-part documentary series that chronicles the rebuilding of the national bobsleigh program after a period of upheaval both on and off the ice.
The series, which begins streaming Friday, Jan. 23 on CBC Gem, offers an unfiltered look at the pressures of high-performance sport and the organizational reset that followed cultural challenges within the program. The documentary will also air on CBC TV on Sunday, Feb. 1 at 7 p.m. (7:30 NT), with back-to-back episodes.
Positioned as both a sports documentary and a leadership case study, Redemption Run follows elite athletes as they navigate training, competition and internal change while pursuing Olympic qualification. Filmed over two years, the series tracks competitors from training centres in Calgary and Whistler, B.C., through World Cup events across Europe, culminating at the 2025 World Championships in Lake Placid, N.Y.
“Redemption Run celebrates not only the extraordinary talent of our athletes but also the shared journey we’ve undertaken to rebuild a culture of respect, excellence, and purpose within Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton,” said Kien Tran, chief executive officer of Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton.
The project was produced with exclusive behind-the-scenes access granted to Vancouver-based Tyson Media, allowing cameras inside team meetings, training sessions and competitions. The intent, according to the organization, was to humanize elite sport by showing the emotional toll, personal sacrifice and high stakes behind each run and result.
What emerges is a portrait of a national program seeking to reclaim its standing after a period of decline. Canada’s bobsleigh program has historically been one of the country’s most successful winter sports, dating back to Vic Emery’s four-man gold medal performance at the 1964 Olympic Games. Over subsequent decades, Canadian athletes amassed 10 Olympic medals and 170 medals at World Championships and World Cup events across disciplines.
That momentum slowed following the 2022 Olympic Winter Games, where Canada won two bronze medals but soon faced internal challenges. Cultural concerns surfaced, veteran athletes retired, and corporate sponsors reduced their involvement, leaving the program at a crossroads.
“Over the past three years, our priority has been to strengthen leadership, support our athletes, and foster an environment where champions – and community leaders – are nurtured both on and off the track,” added Tran. “This documentary stands as a testament to our collective work, the resilience, dedication, along with the teamwork commitment of Canada’s bobsleigh athletes, who are now ready to inspire a new generation of Canadians.”
The timing of the series coincides with Canada unveiling its 2026 Olympic bobsleigh team. Redemption Run includes commentary and insight from head coaches and Olympic medallists Justin Kripps and Lyndon Rush, both of whom played central roles in guiding the program through its transition.
The documentary also captures structural changes implemented shortly before filming began. Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton welcomed a refreshed board of directors, Tran’s appointment as chief executive officer, and the arrival of three-time Olympian Jesse Lumsden as high-performance director. Together, the leadership team set out to re-establish trust within the program and define a renewed vision focused on accountability and athlete support.
Alongside leadership renewal came an influx of new talent. The series profiles a diverse group of athletes drawn from professional football, track and field, and hockey, highlighting how transferable skills and shared ambition have shaped a new generation of sliders.
“Redemption Run isn’t just about bobsledding. It’s about the grind, the resilience, and the heart it takes to chase an Olympic dream,” said Tyson Hepburn, Tyson Media. “This series tells an authentic story of Canada’s bobsleigh athletes’ experiences over the past two years, capturing every push, every setback, and every milestone achieved. It’s fun, it’s fierce, and it’s emotional. With the Olympic Games just around the corner, we can’t wait to introduce these athletes to the nation and bring all Canadians along for the ride with the Canadian Bobsleigh Team.”
Beyond competition, the documentary underscores the broader business and governance realities facing national sport organizations, including sponsorship stability, athlete welfare and cultural reform. Supported by corporate partners, federal funding and organizations such as Own the Podium and the Canadian Olympic Committee, Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton is positioning the series as both a public-facing narrative and a statement of renewal.
As Canada looks toward the 2026 Winter Games, Redemption Run offers a rare, candid view into how one of the country’s most storied winter sport programs is attempting to rebuild credibility, culture and competitive edge — one run at a time.
