Laura Nolte secured the overall World Cup victory in the last two-man bobsleigh race of the winter. The woman from Winterberg won in Sigulda, Latvia, on Sunday. Kim Kalicki ensured a German double victory. After the first run, three German sledges lead the men.
Nolte won the World Cup final with brakewoman Neele Schuten with two best times (50.80 seconds/50.93 seconds) and in 0.14 seconds ahead of her German competitor Kim Kalicki (50.89 seconds/50.98 seconds), who Brakewoman Anabel Galander finished second. With the best time in the final, Nolte was able to extend her lead of 0.09 seconds from the first run and celebrated the first overall World Cup victory of her career. Third place went to US bobsleigh legend Kaillie Humphries (+ 0.24 seconds).
Nolte wins with 25 points ahead of Kalicki
One day after her disappointing sixth place in monobob, with which the world champion had to hand over the overall World Cup to the American Kaillie Humphries, the 24-year-old Nolte narrowly defended the overall World Cup in the twos. Before the race she was leading by just ten points, but with her victory she extended her lead with 1,697 points to 25 points. It was only last weekend in Innsbruck that Nolte, who had fallen at the World Championships, took the lead in the overall World Cup. Lisa Buckwiz, who did not start in Sigulda, was sixth overall in the World Cup (995 points).
Laura Nolte (left) and Neele Schuten celebrate.
Three German sledges in pairs of men in front
Three German sleds will lead to the men’s final before the last two-man bob run of the season before the final second run (from 2.34 p.m.). After the first run, Johannes Lochner and his brakeman Georg Fleischauer are 49.91 seconds ahead of the surprise second-placed Adam Ammour (+0.16) and Francesco Friedrich (0.16 seconds).
The only 19-year-old Ammour, who sits in the sled with his brother Issamm Ammour, showed a strong race in his World Cup debut. Before the final, the junior world champion of 2023 in Winterberg is level with four-man bobsleigh world champion Friedrich, who is traveling with regular brakeman Thorsten Margis.
The overall World Cup in two-man bobsleigh should be taken: With 1,517 points, Lochner is well ahead of Francesco Friedrich (1,446) before the final