Record world champion Francesco Friedrich started the Olympic season with a World Cup victory in the two-man bobsleigh. The double Olympic champion from BSC Sachsen Oberbärenburg drove on Saturday in Innsbruck-Igls with pusher Alexander Schüller (SV Halle) to his 53rd World Cup victory. With two best times he had a lead of 0.47 seconds over Johannes Lochner from Berchtesgaden, who started for Stuttgart. “We started the Olympic season with an optimum, in the second run we lost a few feathers,” said Friedrich. Last season, Lochner inflicted the only defeat of the season on rival Friedrich on the Olympic ice canal on Patscherkofel. With Florian Bauer (BRC Ohlstadt) he came in second this time, but set the fastest time in the second run. Third place went to Briton Brad Hall with Greg Cackett on the brakes. In the women’s competition, Laura Nolte from Winterberg finished third in the first monobob race of the season with German participation.
Bob – victory number 53 for Friedrich – Sport
