2013/2014 FIBT World Cup – Igls –

January 19, 2014 ken Bobsled News, News 0

From Igls, Austria

Oskars Melbardis is a man on a roll.  His Latvian four-man bobsled team has taken three of the four heats in the last two race weekends, and has taken gold in both of those events.  Coming into the second heat just .01 off the lead, Melbardis had the two fastest pushes and took gold over American Steven Holcomb by .11. Holcomb came into the second heat in the lead, but only could muster a fifth-fastest second run but held on by a full tenth of a second for silver.  Thomas Florschütz took bronze for German with two consistent runs.  American Nick Cunningham clinched a spot on the four-man Olympic squad with his fourth place finish, while Alexander Kasjanov took fifth for Russia.

Cory Butner had a disappointing second run, falling from 10th to 18th in heat two.  The Chris Spring led the way once again for Canada and continues his standout year in a tie for sixth and was the only Canadian sled in the top 10.  Justin Kripps and Lyndon Rush finished 13th and 14th, respectively.

The British teams switched push squads, and it paid dividends for Lamin Deen.  Deen finished a World Cup career-best 11th, while teammate John Jackson took 20th with the traditional GBR-2 squad.

Results:

Pos Pilot Nation Draw Run 1 Run 2 Total
1 Oskars Melbardis LAT 5 51.15 51.07 1:42.22
2 Steven Holcomb USA 4 51.14 51.19 1:42.33
3 Thomas Florschuetz GER 7 51.30 51.13 1:42.43
4 Nick Cunningham USA 17 51.33 51.17 1:42.50
5 Alexander Kasjanov RUS 9 51.29 51.23 1:42.52
6 Maximilian Arndt GER 6 51.36 51.24 1:42.60
6 Chris Spring CAN 10 51.47 51.13 1:42.60
8 Alexsandr Zubkov RUS 2 51.41 51.29 1:42.70
9 Franesco Friedrich GER 1 51.38 51.33 1:42.71
9 Oskars Kibermanis LAT 15 51.44 51.27 1:42.71
11 Lamin Deen GBR 21 51.49 51.26 1:42.75
12 Justin Kripps CAN 8 51.49 51.29 1:42.78
13 Lynodn Rush CAN 3 51.55 51.32 1:42.87
14 Beat Hefti SUI 12 51.40 51.39 1:42.89
15 Edwin Van Calker NED 14 51.51 51.40 1:42.91
16 Simone Bertazzo ITA 18 51.61 51.39 1:43.00
17 Nikita Zakharov RUS 13 51.52 51.52 1:43.04
18 Cory Butner USA 16 51.44 51.64 1:43.08
19 Jan Vrba CZE 19 51.70 51.49 1:43.19
20 John Jackson GBR 11 51.78 51.78 1:43.56
21 Gregor Baumann SUI 20 51.83
22 Benjamin Maier AUT 24 51.86
23 Loic Costerg FRA 22 52.04
24 Nicolae Istrate ROU 25 52.24
25 Heath Spence AUS 23 53.19