Brad Hall with first podium finish for the British team in almost 30 years, Lochner third
Innsbruck (RWH) The winner takes it all: with his fifth 4-man Bobsleigh victory of the season, bobsleigh pilot Francesco Friedrich (GER) secured his fifth overall victory in the 2022/2023 BWM IBSF World Cup. After three months, eight races and 16 race runs, 0.19 seconds ultimately decided first and second place in the overall World Cup.
European Champion Brad Hall (GBR) with Arran Gulliver, Taylor Lawrence and Greg Cackett had fought a duel on equal terms with the Friedrich team throughout the season. Friedrich and Hall started into the 4-man bobsleigh final with a 15-point gap, after the first race run in Innsbruck both teams were separated by 0.07 seconds. With his victory in the final, Francesco Friedrich (1737 points), who also set a new track record in Innsbruck (50.07 seconds), is now the overall 4-man bobsleigh World Cup champion for the fifth time in a row.
World Championship silver medallist Brad Hall (1707 points) in second place won for the British team the first podium place in the overall 4-man bobsleigh ranking since Mark Tout, who also finished second in the 1994/1995 season.
Third overall at the final in Innsbruck 2022/2023 was Olympic silver medallist Johannes Lochner (GER, 0.37 seconds back) with Florian Bauer, Erec Bruckert and Joshua Tasche. Also in the overall ranking for the BMW IBSF World Cup 2022/2023 Johannes Lochner (1507 points) finished third.
For more detailed information including athlete profiles and results please visit ibsf.org. Photos for editorial use can be found at Flickr. ©RWH2023
Photos: IBSF / Viesturs Lacis
