Already assured of the overall title heading in to the eighth and final World Cup of the season, the Latvian team, comprising of pilot Oskars Melbārdis and pushers Daumants Dreiškens, Arvis Vilkaste and Jānis Strenga, finished the first run in 54.86 seconds.

Their time saw them trailing the Russian team piloted by Alexander Kasjanov and including Ilvir Huzin, Aleksei Pushkarev and Aleksey Zaytsev.

However, the Latvian Olympic silver medallists responded in the second run, recording a time of 55.17sec, to finish 0.10sec ahead of the Russian team, who held on for silver in front of their home fans.

Russia's second place finish ensured they ended the season as the World Cup runners up, although they were some way off the Latvian team that have dominated the season.

Last year's World Cup winners and world champions Germany, led by pilot Maximilian Arndt, rounded off the podium at the 2014 Olympic venue, a result that sees them finish third in the overall standings.

World Cup winners Latvia will hope their form continues at the Bobsleigh and Skeleton World Championships, which will take place in Germany from February 23 to March 8.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


Related stories
February 2015: Meyers Taylor and Melbardis clinch historic overall Bobsleigh World Cup titles on Olympic track
February 2015: Williams announces retirement from bobsleigh with place in Olympic history assured
February 2015: Latvia seals four-man bobsleigh World Cup title in Igls
February 2015: United States pair fight back to claim World Cup bobsleigh spoils in Igls
January 2015: Germans take European bobsleigh title after women's skeleton cancelled