Friedrich has to share four-man bobsleigh victory with Latvian Cipulis

Bob dominator Francesco Friedrich saved victory at his home track in Altenberg on Sunday. However, the Pirna native, who was the sole leader after the first run, had to share the World Cup victory in the four-man bobsleigh with the Latvian Emils Cipulis, who set the fastest time in the second run. Switzerland's Simon Friedli finished third ahead of Adam Ammour, who had caught Friedrich in the small sled on Saturday and won.

"The second run wasn't quite as good, we're glad that it was enough today. It was an eventful week with special track conditions," said Friedrich, who will therefore also be taking little material knowledge with him to the World Championships in Winterberg. Long-time rival Johannes Lochner, who had to cancel the races in Altenberg after his serious training crash, will be back at the start at the title fights in Hochsauerland.

Due to Lochner's absence, Friedrich also took the lead in the overall World Cup in the two-man bobsleigh. In the premier class of four-man bobsleigh, he is virtually already the overall winner ahead of the World Cup final in Lake Placid in mid-March with his four wins this season, he just has to avoid crashing.

With a view to the home World Championships, things are getting even more exciting in the small sled, as European champion Ammour is getting stronger and stronger. With Costa Laurenz from Wiesbaden, the Oberhofer was faster at the start than the long-standing successful duo Friedrich and Thorsten Margis. At the World Championships, Lochner will once again be competing with his strong push athlete Georg Fleischhauer.

In the women's event, Beijing Olympic champion Laura Nolte delivered a strong performance a week before the start of the World Championships. First she won in the monobob, then she won the two-man bobsleigh in the comeback of her Olympic pusher Deborah Levi from Potsdam. The duo beat world champion Kim Kalicki to second place by 0.64 seconds with two best start and run times. The Wiesbaden native raced with Anabel Galander from Magdeburg.

"It was a super weekend, the runs were really good and the start times today were mega. Everything is going in the right direction," said Nolte after her fourth win of the season in the two-man bobsleigh.