Francesco Friedrich is looking for history at the World Championships in Altenberg ©Getty Images

Francesco Friedrich could make history on his home track at the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation World Championships, which begin tomorrow in Altenberg.

The German pilot has won global gold in the two-man for five consecutive editions – 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2019.

That feat is matched only by Italy's Eugenio Monti, who achieved it between 1957 and 1961, but Friedrich is looking to take the record for himself this week.

He has won the world title in two-man and four-man at the last two World Championships and is also an Olympic gold medallist in both disciplines.

The 29-year-old will be the man to beat again in Altenberg after winning both World Cup titles in the 2019-2020 season.

His challengers for bobsleigh glory will include Canada's Justin Kripps, who shared two-man Olympic gold with Friedrich at Pyeongchang 2018 after both ended with the same time.

Latvia's European champion Oskars Ķibermanis will also be among the favourites while Germany's world junior champion Richard Ölsner will look to step-up successfully at the senior event. 

In women's bobsleigh, all eyes will be on Kaillie Humphries who has enjoyed a superb first season with the United States after defecting to the country.

Humphries won two Olympic golds and two world titles for Canada but left for the Americans after alleging "verbal and mental abuse" at the hands of a coach.

Kaillie Humphries will contest her first World Championships for the United States ©Getty Images
Kaillie Humphries will contest her first World Championships for the United States ©Getty Images

She won four World Cup races this season but sacrificed a likely overall title by skipping the last leg in Sigulda in Latvia to prepare for Altenberg.

Germany's Stephanie Schneider won the seasonal title in her absence, and will be among Humphries' main challengers.

Reigning Olympic and world champion Mariama Jamanka will also be a contender for Germany.

In skeleton, Latvia's Martins Dukurs enters as the reigning men's world champion and the winner of this season's World Cup.

South Korea's Olympic gold medallist Yun Sung-bin and Russia's Sochi 2014 winner Alexander Tretiakov will be among other contenders.

Tina Hermann will defend her women's skeleton world crown in front of a home crowd but her compatriot Jacqueline Lölling enters as World Cup champion.

Austria's Janine Flock will be among those hoping to crash the German party.

The two-man bobsleigh and women's bobsleigh will both be contested over the next three days.

There will then be a three-day break before the Championships resume with the remaining events.