Sigulda (RWH) Olympic and World Champion Francesco Friedrich (GER) has got the 2018/2019 World Cup winter season off to a winning start with victory in the 2-man Bobsleigh. Friedrich also set a new start record (4.82 seconds) and track record (49.86 seconds) at the season-opening BMW IBSF World Cup in Sigulda (LAT). New brakeman Alexander Schüller, was last winter’s U23 and Junior World Champion in 2-man Bobsleigh with pilot Richard Oelsner.
Local heroes Oskars Kibermanis/Matiss Miknis (LAT) finished in second place, 0.42 seconds behind the duo of Friedrich/Schüller. Austria’s Benjamin Maier/Markus Sammer came third, 0.68 seconds adrift.
Dominik Dvorak/Jakub Nosek (CZE) celebrated their best ever World Cup result with fourth.
Christoph Hafer (GER) and Issam Ammour finished joint seventh with local hero Ralfs Berzins (LAT) and Davis Springis on their World Cup debut.
In the overall standings of the BMW IBSF World Cup 2018/2019, Francesco Friedrich (GER, 225) leads after the first of eight races ahead of Oskars Kibermanis (LAT, 210) and Benjamin Maier (AUT, 200).
Further information, the World Cup results and the latest overall standings are available at ibsf.org. ©RWH2018
Photo: IBSF / Viesturs Lacis
