LAKE PLACID, N.Y. — Francesco Friedrich has once again proven his dominance in the realm of bobsledding by claiming the title of world champion for the 16th time. His latest triumph came on Saturday at Mount Van Hoevenberg, marking his seventh victory in the four-man bobsled category as the international bobsled season drew to a close.
This accomplishment represents the sixth instance in the past seven years where Friedrich has emerged victorious in the World Cup season titles for both two-man and four-man bobsled competitions. Additionally, he has completed the challenging task of winning these events in either the Olympics or the world championships during those seasons.
In the recent series of competitions, Friedrich completed three runs over the span of two days, clocking in at an impressive 2 minutes, 44.52 seconds. The event originally consisted of four heats, but one was canceled on Friday due to deteriorating track conditions linked to rising air temperatures.
Following closely behind Friedrich was fellow German competitor Johannes Lochner, who secured the second position with a time of 2:44.80. Filling the third spot was Britain’s Brad Hall, completing his runs in 2:45.00. The leading American bobsled was piloted by Frank Del Duca, achieving a respectable fourth-place finish with a time of 2:45.64, while Kris Horn from the U.S. secured the seventh position.
Reflecting on his performance, Del Duca expressed the joy of competing on his home track in Lake Placid. “The biggest thing was just having friends and family here,” he said, appreciating the support from loved ones. “Coming up the outrun and high-fiving them and hearing them cheer was really special. It was a great time.”
Friedrich wrapped up yet another remarkable year as the world’s top bobsledder, earning medals in all 17 of his major international competitions. These included 15 World Cup events and both the two-man and four-man events in Lake Placid, where he garnered 10 gold medals, the most by any athlete this year, along with six silver and one bronze. Meanwhile, Lochner concluded his season with a total of 16 medals, consisting of six golds, seven silvers, and three bronzes.
