Brants Wins Para-Bobsled European Championship

From Igls, AUT

(Jan. 19, 2018) Alvils Brants won his first IBSF Para-Bobsled race in a year, taking gold in Igls at the European Championships.

Brants, who last won on January 20, 2017 in Lillehammer, came into the second heat just .01 behind Guro Konstanse Fronsdal of Norway, and only .01 ahead of Race 5 winner Corie Mapp.

Brants put the pressure on Fronsdal, clocking the fastest time in either heat. Fronsdal couldn’t find the speed she had in the first heat, falling to third on her run, and handing the win to Brants.

Mapp finished second, .46 behind, while Fronsdal finished third, only .01 behind Mapp.

Lonnie Bissonette of Canada finished fourth, ahead of Christopher Stewart of Switzerland and Nikolai Johann of Germany.

The sixth race of the season also doubled as the European Championship, Stewart finished fourth, Johann fifth and Fabrizio Caselli of Italy sixth to round out the top six of the Euro Championships.

Dave Nicholls was the top-finishing American in 12th, while teammate Christ Rasmussen finished 17th.

Results:

Pos	Names	Nation	Bib	Run 1	Run 2	Total
1	Alvils Brants	LAT	1	58.54	58.34	1:56.88
2	Corie Mapp	GBR	13	58.55	58.79	1:57.34
3	Guro Konstanse Fronsdal	NOR	3	58.53	58.82	1:57.35
4	Lonnie Bissonnette	CAN	11	58.69	58.83	1:57.52
5	Christopher Stewart	SUI	10	58.84	58.77	1:57.61
6	Nikolai Johann	GER	15	58.81	58.91	1:57.72
7	Fabrizio Caselli	ITA	18	58.88	58.90	1:57.78
8	Lauris Zutis	LAt	9	58.91	58.92	1:57.83
9	Pier Alberto Buccoliero	ITA	12	58.74	59.10	1:57.84
9	Arturs Klots	LAt	20	58.94	58.90	1:57.84
11	Hermann Ellmauer	AUT	5	58.71	59.16	1:57.87
12	Dave Nicholls	USA	17	59.00	59.10	1:58.10
13	Annija Krumina	LAT	4	59.08	59.18	1:58.26
14	Siri Malene Valle	NOR	19	59.24	59.25	1:58.49
15	Sebastian Westin	SWE	6	59.34	59.25	1:58.59
16	Kenneth Jørgensen	NOR	8	59.39	59.46	1:58.85
17	Christ Rasmussen	USA	7	59.52	59.49	1:59.01
18	Jason Sauer	AUS	16	59.59	59.49	1:59.08
19	Vytautas Balsys	LTU	14	60.06	60.68	2:00.74
DNS	Andreas Kapfinger	AUT	2	DNS