Francesco Friedrich’s winning streak in bobsleigh ended as Johannes Lochner claimed his first victory of the season in Latvia, finishing ahead of Friedrich, who took third place. Adam Ammour crashed again, struggling throughout the race. In the women’s two-man event, Laura Nolte secured a victory alongside Leonie Kluwig, while Lisa Buckwitz and Kira Lipperheide finished fourth. Nolte praised her team’s performance despite the challenging conditions on the track.
Lochner Ends Friedrich’s Winning Streak
Francesco Friedrich’s triumphant run in the bobsleigh circuit has come to an unexpected halt. In the season’s fourth race, the Saxon athlete faced a surprising setback against his teammate Johannes Lochner. Meanwhile, Adam Ammour, driving the third German sled, experienced yet another crash, marking his third misadventure in as many races. In the women’s two-man bobsleigh category, Germany celebrated a remarkable double victory, with Laura Nolte bouncing back from her previous monobob second place.
Johannes Lochner Claims First Victory of the Season
In a thrilling showdown on December 15, 2024, in Sigulda, Latvia, bobsleigh pilot Johannes Lochner secured his first victory of the season, relegating the dominant Friedrich to a surprising third place. Lochner, partnered with pusher Jörn Wenzel, achieved an impressive victory with a time of 1:39.24 minutes, outpacing the British duo of Bradley Hall and Taylor Lawrence by 0.21 seconds and Friedrich by 0.30 seconds. Wenzel, competing in only his second World Cup race, showcased his talent by posting the fastest times in both runs.
Lochner expressed his delight, stating, “So we can still do it. Not that I’m starting to doubt.” He reflected on his nearly year-long wait for a two-man bobsleigh victory, emphasizing the importance of start times for success. “If the start times don’t match, you won’t win down below,” he noted, highlighting the need for a strong start.
Friedrich, who was paired with the experienced Alexander Schüller instead of his usual pusher Simon Wulff, fell short of expectations, finishing with the third-best time in both runs. Despite holding the start record in Sigulda with Schüller, he was unable to secure a victory in this event.
After the race, Friedrich shared his frustrations, stating, “We would have liked to perform better, but the others were better.” He acknowledged the challenges he faced on the track, particularly in the critical curve 13/14, where national coach René Spies noted that Friedrich managed the section well but was perilously close to a crash.
Adam Ammour faced a particularly challenging weekend, crashing for the third time after two incidents the previous day. He initially recorded the best start time in the round but ultimately lost control and crashed in the same treacherous curve. Following the incident, Ammour chose to withdraw from the second race of the day.
Reflecting on Ammour’s struggles, Coach Spies remarked, “We then took him out in consultation with him. That was important because he had no concept for the passage 13/14.” He emphasized the need for safety and respect in navigating such demanding sections of the track.
German Dominance in Women’s Two-Man Bobsleigh
In the women’s two-man bobsleigh event, Laura Nolte also shone, clinching victory in the fourth race of the winter. Partnered with pusher Leonie Kluwig, Nolte outperformed her compatriots Kim Kalicki and Neele Schuten, as well as the American duo of Kaysha Love and Jasamine Jones, to secure her place at the top of the podium.
Nolte, celebrating her first race with pusher Kluwig, expressed her satisfaction, saying, “We had top start times. I’m very satisfied with that.” She praised Kluwig’s performance, noting the challenging conditions on the snow-covered track.
Despite her strong showing, Lisa Buckwitz, who had previously won in the monobob category, found herself in an ungrateful fourth place with Kira Lipperheide. Buckwitz improved her position after a sixth-place finish in the first run, highlighting her strong start times as a positive takeaway from the event. “Fourth is ungrateful,” she remarked, but she remained proud of their efforts.