Sigulda (RWH) A third win of the season, a ninth overall victory and an eleventh European Championship title – World Champion Martins Dukurs of Latvia won everything going at the finals to the 2019/2020 BMW IBSF World Cup.
Thousands of local fans provided an exciting backdrop for the local heroes in Sigulda (LAT). After two heats and a track record (49.94 seconds), Martins Dukurs won the World Cup final with a 0.81-second lead over his older brother Tomass, who won silver in the European Championships and thus secured a double victory for the home team from Latvia.
With his victory, Martins Dukurs finished the season on 1665 points, winning his ninth overall victory in the BMW IBSF World Cup. And because the race also counted as the 2020 European Championships, he also won his eleventh European title.
The Olympic Champion Sungbin Yun finished the World Cup season in third place (1.06 seconds back). Heat two in the World Cup race saw the Junior World Champion Felix Keisinger (GER) climb from tenth place to fourth, securing him European Championship bronze.
The starting record in Sigulda (4.47 seconds) is now held by Zheng Yin of China. The athlete from the host of the 2022 Winter Olympic Games ended his World Cup debut in ninth place.
In the overall standings to the 2019/2020 BMW IBSF World Cup, the defending title holder Alexander Tretiakov (RUS, 1603 points) finished in second behind winner Martins Dukurs. Sungbin Yun (KOR, 1581) came third overall.
Further information, the World Cup results and the latest overall standings are available at ibsf.org. ©RWH2020
Stimmen
Martins Dukurs (LAT, 11 x European Champion, 9 x winner of Overall World Cup, 6 x World Champion)
„This was an important race from the very beginning of the season. I never really had competitions here in Sigulda. Thanks to my team, family and the huge crowd of fans today.“
Tomass Dukurs (LAT, European Champion 2017, second in Overall World Cup 2013, 2014, 2015
„We used our home advantage and I am really satisfied how it worked. Fort he World Championships – every week is a different story on a different track but of course it mentally gives some confidence.“
Felix Keisinger (GER, European Championships bronze, Junior World Champion 2020)
“For me, lately it's always been the case that the first run is bad and I drive much better in the second. I would
be happy if I could get two runs down well, but of course I'm totally happy
with the result today. I'm completely overwhelmed by Sigulda, you can hear people
screaming when you go down the track, it's so much fun."
