From Sigulda, LAT
Jan. 18, 2020 – Simon Friedli had won gold in his previous life as a brakeman, but since moving to the driver’s seat the Swiss pilot had won a bronze medal but that was it.
In Sigulda he finally struck gold.
Friedli was as consistent as anyone could be, setting equal 50.08 times in both heats on his way to a .41 second victory over Russia’s Rositslav Gaitiukevich.
Friedli’s two runs were the two fastest of the race.
Gaitiukevich finished second, just .04 ahead of Jonas Jannusch in third and only .07 ahead of Mihai Tentea back in sixth.
Davis Kaufmanis finished fourth on his home track, .01 ahead of Philipp Zielasko of Germany and .02 ahead of Tentea.
Oskars Kibermanis, the 2-man Olympic bronze medalist, finished ninth.
Results:
Pos | Names | Nation | Bib | Start 1 | Start 2 | Run 1 | Run 2 | Total |
1 | Friedli / Jones | SUI | 7 | 4.93 | 4.92 | 50.08 | 50.08 | 1:40.16 |
2 | Gaitiukevich / Korotkov | RUS | 13 | 4.96 | 4.98 | 50.17 | 50.40 | 1:40.57 |
3 | Jannusch / Kornhardt | GER | 5 | 5.00 | 5.00 | 50.19 | 50.42 | 1:40.61 |
4 | Kaufmanis / Bebriss | LAT | 9 | 4.92 | 4.93 | 50.28 | 50.34 | 1:40.62 |
5 | Zielasko / Luethcke | GER | 16 | 4.87 | 4.95 | 50.33 | 50.30 | 1:40.63 |
6 | Tentea / Daroczi | ROU | 8 | 4.99 | 5.00 | 50.28 | 50.36 | 1:40.64 |
7 | Kuonen / Dörig | SUI | 12 | 4.92 | 4.93 | 50.45 | 50.41 | 1:40.86 |
8 | Illmann / Fleischhauer | GER | 11 | 4.98 | 5.01 | 50.39 | 50.52 | 1:40.91 |
9 | Melbardis / Dambis | LAT | 4 | 5.00 | 5.03 | 50.39 | 50.56 | 1:40.95 |
10 | Kuzmenko / Baklanov | RUS | 18 | 4.97 | .00 | 50.54 | 50.71 | 1:41.25 |
11 | Hannighofer / Hammers | GER | 10 | 4.90 | 4.95 | 50.82 | 50.74 | 1:41.56 |
12 | Moulinier / Vogel | SUI | 1 | 5.08 | 5.08 | 50.72 | 50.93 | 1:41.65 |
13 | Lorenzoni / Hufschmid | SUI | 17 | 5.07 | 5.08 | 50.83 | 50.86 | 1:41.69 |
14 | Bredikhin / Isakov | RUS | 6 | 5.08 | 5.10 | 50.81 | 50.90 | 1:41.71 |
14 | Cipulis / Kleinbergs | LAT | 14 | 4.98 | 4.98 | 51.81 | 50.90 | 1:41.71 |
16 | Voloskov / Zhestiankin | RUS | 2 | 5.23 | 5.26 | 50.84 | 51.04 | 1:41.88 |
17 | Dobes / Bakalar | CZE | 3 | 5.05 | 5.04 | 51.11 | 51.49 | 1:42.60 |
18 | Variola / Atchori Essoh | ITA | 15 | 5.08 | 5.14 | 51.53 | 51.59 | 1:43.12 |