Friedrich claims 4th straight world title in 2-man bobsled

Germany's Francesco Friedrich was again fastest in both runs to beat Justin Kripps of Canada for his fourth straight world championship in two-man bobsled on Sunday.

Friedrich, who held a 0.52-lead from Saturday's opening heats, clocked 49.17 seconds and then 48.94 with his brakeman Thorsten Margis for a combined time of 3 minutes, 16.71 seconds after four runs — 1.20 ahead of Kripps and Jesse Lumsden.

Germany's Johannes Lochner was 1.25 back in third with Joshua Bluhm, ahead of Oskars Kibermanis and Matiss Miknis of Latvia, Nick Poloniato and Neville Wright of Canada, and Oskars Melbardis and Janis Strenga of Latvia.

American pilot Steven Holcomb was seventh with Carlo Valdes, 1.68 back.

Lochner made up for any disappointment with the bronze medal by taking gold in the skeleton and bobsled team competition later yesterday.

Training resumes today with the next competitions scheduled for Friday, with the first two runs of the men's and women's skeleton events.