Christopher Grotheer has set another record with his seventh gold medal at the World Championships. Thanks to his victory in the mixed competition together with Hannah Neise on Saturday (February 24, 2024) in Winterberg, he is now the most successful male pilot in World Cup history. He also now has just as many titles as Tina Hermann to his credit. Bronze also went to Germany.
Neise/Grotheer were the last team to enter the track and fought against the time of the British duo Tabitha Stoecker and Matt Weston. They had previously pushed the second German team Jacqueline Pfeiffer and Axel Jungk out of the leaders box. After a significantly worse start time than the Brit, Neise had to show all her skills on the track and was able to make up almost half a second. So Grotheer entered the track just three hundredths of a second behind, but he was quickly able to get the time back on track and confidently took home the victory.
At the finish, Neise initially didn’t know what her time was worth. It was only when the spectators cheered that she sensed something good. When Grotheer’s time turned green, “I was sure. It was just really cool”, explained the visibly exhausted world champion afterwards. Three racing days in a row don’t happen very often for the skeletonis. For Grotheer it was the third mixed title in a row, always with another woman at his side: “I’m pretty changeable.”the Oberhofer smiled: “We are simply a great team!” After the award ceremony, that’s what you want “one or another alcoholic drink” take a drink and toast to the successful days ahead.
Cheers from friends Pfeiffer and Jungk
The second German team, consisting of Jacqueline Pfeiffer and Axel Jungk, was also able to celebrate at the end. There was initially some irritation when Pfeiffer started because a penalty time was displayed. However, this was quickly withdrawn after studying the pictures. Thanks to a clean ride, she laid the foundation for the interim best time, which Jungk saved with a decent run to the finish.
“I wasn’t 100 percent satisfied with my run, but we’ll take the medal. It’s good to have won it together with ‘Jacka'”said Jungk after the race. “We will remember this medal for a very long time.” It was a special medal for the two, who also maintain a personal friendship: “Our dream was to start here together. It worked and we also won a medal…”Pfeiffer added with a laugh.
Team competition firmly in German hands
In comparison to the regular individual competition, in the mixed team there is only one run per athlete. The times of the woman and the man are added to the total time. In addition, the starting procedure is completely different. If the active individual triggers the time measurement barrier in the sprint, there is a reaction start in the mixed competition. A traffic light signals when you can start walking. Anyone who moves too early will receive a penalty that will be added to the total time. The amount of the penalty depends on how much too early you moved.
Since 2020, mixed doubles has been part of the Bobsleigh and Skeleton World Championships. German teams have all won the three editions so far. Pfeiffer (still Lölling at the time) and Alexander Gassner won the premiere in Altenberg. A year later, when the title fights were moved from Lake Placid to Altenberg again, Tina Hermann and Grotheer prevailed. Last year Grotheer won in St. Moritz together with Susanne Kreher.