KOENIGSSEE, Germany (AP) — Germany is still unbeaten in World Cup bobsled races this season, after Johannes Lochner drove to a victory in a four-man race Sunday.
Lochner led after the first heat and needed to finish his second heat in less than 48.95 seconds to hold on and beat the sled driven by Latvia's Oskars Kibermanis. Lochner crossed the line in 48.77 and posted a two-run time of 1:37.74. Kibermanis was second and the German sled driven by Francesco Friedrich was third.
Counting women's, two-man and four-man bobsled races, Germany has won 12 straight golds this season and 20 in a row going back to last season's World Cup schedule and the Pyeongchang Olympics — where Germany shared one gold with Canada.
Sunday marked one year since the last time a German sled didn't finish first in a major international bobsled race. On Jan. 13, 2018, the U.S. women's sled piloted by Elana Meyers Taylor and pushed by Lolo Jones took the gold at a World Cup event in St. Moritz, Switzerland.
Codie Bascue drove to a 15th-place finish to lead the American contingent. Justin Olsen piloted his sled to 18th place.
Germany has won 23 of the 36 available World Cup bobsled medals this season. In all sliding sports — counting luge and skeleton as well — Germany has 68 medals this season, which is only two fewer than all other competing nations have combined.
