Germany’s Francesco Friedrich claimed his fourth consecutive two-man bobsleigh global crown after triumphing on home ice at the IBSF World Championships in Königssee today ©IBSF

Germany’s Francesco Friedrich claimed his fourth consecutive two-man bobsleigh global crown after triumphing on home ice at the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation (IBSF) World Championships in Königssee today.

The 26-year-old held a lead 0.52-second lead from yesterday's opening two runs with brakeman Thorsten Margis and was again fastest in both of today's for an overall winning time of 3 min 16.71sec. 

Victory follows his World Championship successes in 2013, 2015 and 2016 and sees him move a step closer to Italian bobsleigh pilot Eugenio Monti’s record of five successive world titles from 1957 to 1961.

"Our starts were good and we had four great runs," Friedrich said.

"We did our homework after the World Cup race here.

"I still have to do a bit of work to become the best bobsleigh pilot of all time as there are still a few people ahead of me.

"But I am still young."

Canada’s Justin Kripps was 1.20 seconds behind in the runners-up spot, earning him a first-ever World Championship medal.

Brakeman Jesse Lumsden had already won silver in the two-man bobsleigh World Championships with pilot Lyndon Rush in Lake Placid in 2012.

Home favourite Johannes Lochner finished 1.25 seconds back with Joshua Bluhm in third, defending the bronze medal position on his fourth run ahead of the Latvian duo of Oskars Kibermanis and Matiss Miknis.

A bronze medal was awarded to a squad of athletes from Germany and Romania in the team event ©IBSF
A bronze medal was awarded to a squad of athletes from Germany and Romania in the team event ©IBSF

History was made in the team event today as a medal was awarded to a squad athletes from different countries for the first time in the sport’s history.

The team comprising of Germany’s Alexander Gassner, Anna Fernstädt, Richard Oelsner and Marc Rademacher, and Romania’s Maria Constantin and Andreea Grecu finished 0.85 seconds behind the home nation’s gold medal-winning team to take bronze.

Axel Jungk, Mariama Jamanka, Franziska Bertels, Jacqueline Lölling, Lochner and Christian Rasp were the winners in 3:21.84, 0.60 seconds faster than fellow Germans Christopher Grotheer, Stephanie Schneider, Lisa Marie Buckwitz, Tina Hermann, Nico Walther and Philip Wobeto in the runners-up spot.

The team competition is made up of a two-woman bobsleigh team, a two-man bobsleigh team and two skeleton athletes - one male and one female.

The times from each run are added up and the victory goes to the team with the best overall time.

Action in Königssee is due to resume on Friday (February 24) with the men's and women's skeleton competitions taking centre stage.