Title fights in Winterberg
Friedrich in the two-man bobsleigh before his eighth world title
Bobsleigh pilot Francesco Friedrich (r) and supporter Alexander Schüller lead the two-man bobsleigh World Championships. photo
© Robert Michael/dpa
Track record and best starting time in both races – Francesco Friedrich is back to his old strength in time for the World Cup. A home win also awaits in the monobob.
In total, the record world champion would then have a total of 14 World Cup victories with the four gold medals in the four-man bobsleigh and the two team titles. “We have geared everything in preparation for this competition. We have chosen the right skid, it fits,” said Friedrich.
Defending champion Johannes Lochner, who dominated the season in the small sled with his pusher Georg Fleischhauer until a serious fall in Altenberg, is in third place at the halfway point of the World Cup. “I’m not that fit yet, the fall is still part of it. In the second run I was a bit over-motivated and hit the starting corner,” reported Lochner, whose World Cup start was questionable until the end due to problems with his cervical spine.
The two-time double Olympic champion Friedrich, who did not win a World Cup victory in the small sled this winter despite constant podium finishes, immediately improved his own track record to 54.67 seconds with start number one and then increased it again to 54.54 seconds. He was also best at the start with Alexander Schüller as the pusher. With 5.06 seconds each, the Saxon provided the best initial speed on the so-called starter track in Hochsauerland. Even European champion Adam Ammour, who was able to defeat Friedrich on his home track in Altenberg, couldn’t keep up. “I’ve adapted well to the track, tomorrow we want to do a little better at the start,” said Adam Ammour.
Lisa Buckwitz is also on track for the title
Lisa Buckwitz is also on course for gold in the monobob. The pilot, who is leading the overall World Cup with four victories this season, is nine hundredths of a second ahead of Elana Meyers Taylor from the USA before the two races on Sunday. Defending champion Laura Nolte is in a promising fourth place behind Australian Breeana Walker, but has significant problems with her adductors. “Two mixed runs, a few mistakes here and there. Anything can happen tomorrow,” said Buckwitz, who set a track record (58.51 seconds) in the first of four runs.