Keeping Calm and Carrying On: Bob-Dominator Friedrich Perseveres in Chaotic WM Conditions
Disorder at World Cup: ice dissolves, road race terminated
Social Media Sharing:- Facebook- Twitter- Whatsapp- Email- [Print] (https://assistant.online/blog/keeping-calm-and-carrying-on-bob-dominator-friedrich-perseveres-in-chaotic-wm-conditions)- Copy Link
Will Francesco Friedrich Take Home His 16th WM Title?
The chaos at Lake Placid, US, during the four-man bobsleigh world championships, brought its fair share of drama. Despite bare concrete on the ice track, all-round dominator Francesco Friedrich managed to keep his cool and maintain his hopes for his seventh consecutive world title. The fact that his closest competitor, Johannes Lochner, was victim to the same concrete horror, undoubtedly worked in Friedrich's favor.
After Lochner, in second place after the first run, drove at top speed on the bare concrete and damaged his runners, heated discussions erupted about a re-run of his run. But even Bob-dominator Friedrich, who had already clinched the bobsleigh world title in the two-man event last week, had problems of his own. He managed only the second-best time in the first run, and the race was called off about an hour later due to the dangerous conditions.
"The weather actually isn't on our side. Sunlight and warmth have caused issues for the bobsleigh track. That's why there was already an issue with Hansi in the second run, as he drove right through concrete, before we were recalled," lamented Friedrich. When asked about his second run, he was quick to add, "I made every effort to avoid the concrete. The decision to cancel the run was completely justified. All that matters is the initial run, and we'll continue tomorrow with the results from run one."
The third and fourth runs in the big sled are scheduled for tomorrow at 1pm local time, and inclement weather remains a possibility. However, the Saxon and his crew Matthias Sommer, Alexander Schüller, and Felix Straub continue to hold the lead with a margin of 0.29 seconds over Lochner, who is now forced to make use of replacement runners. In third place, we find Brad Hall from the UK, with Adam Ammour of BRC Thuringia just behind him.
Perfectionist Friedrich Puts on a Show
Unfazed by the ever-changing track conditions in upstate New York, the record-breaking world champion, Friedrich, continues to strive for his 16th gold medal. Despite local hero Frank Del Luca and Hall posting best times in training, Friedrich took the opportunity to play a little mind game. Often, he'll put different runners on and charge forward at full speed. "We'll use the same setup as today, but whether the fourth run will even take place remains to be seen," Friedrich stated.
Source: ntv.de, ara/dpa/sid
- Winter Sports
- World Championships
- Despite the chaotic conditions at the winter sports world championships in Lake Placid, US, the domineering bobsleigh athlete, Francesco Friedrich, is gunning for his 16th gold medal in the four-man event, taking the lead with a margin of 0.29 seconds.
- After the first run, Friedrich encountered difficulties himself, managing only the second-best time, yet he emphasized the importance of focusing on the initial run and is confident about his performance in the upcoming runs, even if inclement weather persists.
- In a twist of fate, Friedrich's closest competitor, Johannes Lochner, who was victim to the bare concrete track during the first run, will now have to overcome this obstacle with replacement runners, making Friedrich's path to a potential 16th world title slightly clearer.
