Germany’s dominance of the World Cup two-man bobsled circuit showed no sign of slowing on Saturday, as the host nation once again claimed all three medals, extending a remarkable run of control over the discipline this season.
Racing on home ice, Johannes Lochner powered to victory, followed closely by Adam Ammour in second and Francesco Friedrich in third. It marked the fifth two-man World Cup race of the campaign and the fifth consecutive German medal sweep, underlining the depth and consistency of the country’s bobsled program.
While the podium order has shifted from race to race, German drivers have remained untouchable. Lochner’s win on Saturday was his fourth in five races this season, with Friedrich accounting for the only other victory. Ammour, who had opened the campaign with four straight bronze medals, climbed to silver for the first time, further highlighting Germany’s stranglehold on the standings.
Behind the German trio, American pilot Kris Horn delivered a standout performance, finishing fourth for the best two-man World Cup result of his career. Fellow American Frank Del Duca placed fifth, continuing a strong and consistent season in which he has finished sixth or better in all five two-man events so far.
Earlier in the day at Winterberg, Germany’s success continued in women’s monobob. Laura Nolte captured her second World Cup victory of the season and secured her fifth medal in as many races, reinforcing her status as one of the discipline’s most reliable competitors. Nolte held off Canada’s Cynthia Appiah, who matched the best monobob finish of her career by taking second place, while Germany’s Lisa Buckwitz completed the podium in third.
The United States women also turned in a solid showing. Kaillie Humphries Armbruster led the American contingent with a fifth-place finish. Elana Meyers Taylor tied for sixth alongside Canada’s Melissa Lotholz, and reigning world champion Kaysha Love finished eighth. The margins were razor-thin, with all three U.S. sleds separated by just 0.08 seconds.
On the luge circuit, American athletes put themselves firmly in contention at the World Cup stop in Sigulda, Latvia. After the first run of the women’s singles race, Germany’s Julia Taubitz held a narrow lead, followed closely by Austria’s Lisa Schulte and U.S. racer Summer Britcher in third. The top three sleds were separated by an astonishing 0.005 seconds. Another American, Emily Fischnaller, sat fourth at the halfway mark, only 0.027 seconds off the lead heading into Sunday’s decisive run.
In the men’s singles luge competition, Germany’s Felix Loch topped the standings after the opening run, with Austria’s Nico Gleirscher and Jonas Mueller occupying second and third. Jonny Gustafson was the leading American in the field, placing 16th after his first descent.
The doubles luge events also delivered a mix of established powers and emerging contenders. In the women’s doubles race, Selina Egle and Lara Kipp claimed victory, ahead of Germany’s Dajana Eitberger and Magdalena Matschina in second. Italy’s Andrea Voetter and Marion Oberhofer finished third. The United States placed two sleds in the top six, with Chevonne Forgan and Sophia Kirkby taking fifth, followed closely by Maya Chan and Sophia Gordon in sixth.
Latvia delighted the home crowd in the men’s doubles race, as Eduards Sevics-Mikelsevics and Lukass Krasts captured their first World Cup victory. Germany’s Tobias Wendl and Tobias Arlt finished second, while Latvia’s Martins Bots and Roberts Plume rounded out the podium. The top U.S. sled of Marcus Mueller and Ansel Haugsjaa placed ninth, just ahead of teammates Zach DiGregorio and Sean Hollander in tenth.
The World Cup schedule continues to intensify in the coming days. Two-man and four-man bobsled races are set for Sunday in Winterberg, while the men’s skeleton competition moves to St. Moritz, Switzerland, on Wednesday. In luge, the women’s and men’s singles races in Sigulda conclude on Sunday, followed by a team relay, promising more high-stakes competition as the season unfolds.
Original article
Comments