Francesco Friedrich and Thorsten Margis won the World Cup and European title today ©Getty Images

Germany's Francesco Friedrich clinched his first two-man victory of the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation (IBSF) World Cup season in Innsbruck and defended his European Championship title in the process.

The defending overall World Cup champion and seven-time world champion changed his sled earlier this month in a bid to improve his form in the Pyeongchang 2018 Olympic campaign.

It paid dividends today as he won with a time of 1min 43.71sec after being pushed by Thorsten Margis.

With the event in the Austrian city doubling as the European Championship for sliders from the continent, it meant the pair kept hold of the crown they won in Winterberg last year.

"Yes, you could say that today has been a real relief," said Friedrich. 

"We knew that we had what it takes to win here. 

"Innsbruck is our track and this is now our fourth win here in a row. 

"I can't really say anything about our sled at the moment. 

"We need to look at all the times when things have calmed down."

Canada's Justin Kripps and Jesse Lumsden were second in 1:43.98 and still lead the overall World Cup standings on 1,014 points, despite not winning a single race this season.

Stephanie Schneider and Lisa Marie Buckwitz topped the women's event ©Getty Images
Stephanie Schneider and Lisa Marie Buckwitz topped the women's event ©Getty Images

Swiss duo Clemens Bracher and Michael Kuonen were third overall and second in the European Championships with a time of 1:44.11.

Germans Johannes Lochner and Joshua Bluhm were timed at 1:44.16 for fourth in the World Cup and third in Europe.

In women's bobsleigh, Stephanie Schneider piloted Germany to another victory, pushed by brakewoman Annika Drazek.

This was their second successive World Cup win and also earned them the European crown.

They timed in at 1:46.28 as American Elana Meyers Taylor, pushed by Kehri Jones, clocked 1:46.64 for World Cup silver.

World Cup bronze and European silver went to Germany's Mariama Jamanka, the defending continental champion, and Lisa Marie Buckwitz in 1:46.65.

Anna Köhler and Ann Christin Strack, another German team, were fifth overall but won European bronze in 1:47.03.

Canada's Kaillie Humphries was fourth today and the double Olympic gold medallist still leads the World Cup leaderboard on 1,044.

"I've done everything I set out to do today, but I still have a few things I want to achieve this season," said Schneider.

"Having Anni as the brakewoman worked perfectly here." 

The four-man competition will conclude action in Innsbruck tomorrow.