Chaos and Controversy at the Bob World Championships: Friedrich Triumphs in the Concrete Disaster
Dictator Friedrich accelerates toward concrete-infused gold construction
Facebook Twitter Whatsapp E-Mail Print Copy Link
What in blazes happened in Lake Placid?! The four-bob competition at the World Championships took a wild turn when the icy track was swapped for concrete, causing an uproar that essentially turned the race upside down. In the end, it was undeterred Francesco Friedrich who soared to the top, securing his 16th World Championship gold medal despite the jaw-dropping circumstances.
Friedrich, a two-time Olympic champion from Pirna, surged ahead of the field after three runs with a 0.28-second lead over Berchtesgaden's Johannes Lochner. This victory marked his sixth World Championship double since 2017. Third place went to Britain's Brad Hall.
The madness began the day before on Mount van Hoevenberg, where Lochner's rear runners ran straight onto bare concrete in curve five, causing their complete destruction. Protests ensued, but a decision by the jury and a series of protests involving Lochner's team didn't stop Friedrich from suffering setbacks as well—he was forced to circumnavigate the concrete section in the second run, losing valuable time. In the end, the second run was annulled, and the race continued with the third run.
Unfair Advantage and Cries of "Cheating"
Adding insult to injury, Lochner had to replace not only his destroyed rear runners but also the hood that came off during the start. On the other hand, Friedrich had to endure a delay in his start preparation due to a green light malfunction. With all this commotion, it's no wonder some accused the competition of being nothing more than a farce.
Friedrich Storms Ahead
In the quasi-first scoring run, the indomitable Friedrich set the day's best time at an icy six degrees Celsius, extending his lead over the final run from 29 to 54 hundredths of a second. With his crew Matthias Sommer, Alexander Schüller, and Felix Straub, Friedrich once again demonstrated his superiority, recording a time of 4.94 seconds at the start.
Lochner, struggling under the weight of his new parts, made two band touches in the chicane and barely kept the criticism-filled British Hall at bay, securing silver with a mere two-hundredths of a second lead.
Sources: ntv.de, ter/dpa
- Winter Sports
- World Championships
If you're wondering what happened to Adam Ammour from BRC Thuringia, he fell from fourth to fifth in the final run, ultimately behind US pilot Frank del Duca.
An chaotic episode indeed. Stay tuned for more updates—the world of sports never ceases to amaze us!
- Despite the chaos and controversy surrounding the conversion of the bob track to concrete at the Winter Sports World Championships, Francesco Friedrich, a two-time Olympic champion from Pirna, claimed victory, securing his 16th World Championship gold medal.
- The somber mood of the event was further compounded by cries of "cheating" and accusations of unfair advantage, as Friedrich, who suffered setbacks due to the concrete section, was able to prevail over Johannes Lochner, who had to replace essential parts due to the similarly problematic surface.
- Remarkably, Friedrich's crew, including Matthias Sommer, Alexander Schüller, and Felix Straub, helped him achieve a time of 4.94 seconds, securing a lead of 54 hundredths of a second by the final run, enough to clinch the championship in the face of the troubled conditions.
