Silver and bronze for Tregubov and Jungk, Sungbin Yun leads World Cup ranking
Innsbruck (RWH): Skeleton athlete Martins Dukurs of Latvia has topped off his golden World Cup win with victory in the European Championships. At the BMW IBSF World Cup in Innsbruck (AUT), the Latvian skeleton athlete won his 50th ever World Cup race and also celebrated his ninth successive European Championship title since 2010 as the race in Innsbruck also decided the title for European athletes.
Martins Dukurs secured his first ever World Cup win on 8 February 2008, a race at the season finale held in Winterberg (GER). In the almost ten years that have passed since then, the now 33-year-old has gone on to become the most successful skeleton athlete of all time: In addition to 50 wins out of a total of 79 World Cup races, he has secured a further 16 podium finishes and the overall World Cup title eight times in succession since 2010. Martins Dukurs celebrated his most successful seasons in 2012/2013 and 2015/2016, when he achieved seven wins and one silver medal both times.
Second place in the World Cup race in Innsbruck went to Sungbin Yun of Korea (0.15 seconds back). He was followed by Junior World Champion Nikita Tregubov of Russia (0.49 seconds back), who therefore won silver in the European Championships.
World Championship runner-up Axel Jungk of Germany also secured European Championship bronze by finishing fourth in the World Cup race.
The UK’s Marcus Wyatt finished in a surprise 10th place on his World Cup début, putting him in 7th in the European Championships.
Following the fifth of eight races in the BMW IBSF World Cup 2017/2018, Sungbin Yun (KOR, 1095 points) has defended his lead ahead of defending title holder Martins Dukurs (LAT, 1046). Tomass Dukurs (LAT, 928), sixth in Innsbruck, is currently third overall.
For more detailed information including Results of World Cup and European Championships and the current IBSF Ranking please visit ibsf.org. ©RWH2017
Martins Dukurs (LAT, European Champion 2010-2018, Winner of Overall 2010-2017)
„At the beginning of my career I had never thought to win 50 World Cup races. For me it’s always step by step and one race at a time. I am thankful that I managed this, also with my whole family.“
Sungbin Yun (KOR, World Championships bronze medallist 2016, runner-up of 2016 and 2017 Overall World Cup)
„I am not totally happy with my racing today. But it was a close race and I like that. Now I look forward to a little break before the next World Cup in Altenberg.“
Nikita Tregubov (RUS, Junior World Champion 2015, 2016 and 2017, European Championships silver medallist 2018)
„I am really happy! I had stomach problems today and felt very weak. So European Championships silver is really a good result.“
Photo: IBSF/Viesturs Lacis
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