Patrick Baumgartner's bobsleigh at the finish in Lake Placid. © APA / MADDIE MEYER

Chaos at the World Championship race: Baumgartner slips back

South Tyrol's bobsleigh ace Patrick Baumgartner missed the top ten finishes at the World Championships in Lake Placid on Saturday. However, the race is likely to generate plenty of buzz.

March 15, 2025

From: fop/dpa

German Francesco Friedrich won the four-man bobsleigh race in the USA.

The two-time double Olympic champion beat fellow countryman Johannes Lochner by 0,28 seconds after just three qualifying runs, winning his 16th World Championship gold medal. Briton Brad Hall finished third.

Francesco Friedrich and his team celebrate. © APA / MADDIE MEYER

The previous day, there had been sheer chaos on the track at Mount van Hoevenberg. After Lochner's ice broke off in turn five, causing his rear skids to land on bare concrete and thus completely flatten, the jury, after fierce protests, issued a ruling. Lochner should repeat his run. However, the Germans objected, arguing that a double effort within 30 minutes would distort competition.

Demolition after concrete drive

In addition, Friedrich, who was stopped in the middle of his preparations for the start at the green light, had to drive around the concrete patch in the second run, thus also losing valuable time. Ultimately, the second run was annulled by the jury, and the race continued with the third run.

Also affected by the jury's decision was Italy's World Championship hopeful, Patrick Baumgartner from Palatinate. After the first two runs, he would have actually been in ninth place, but ultimately, he and his teammates Eric Fantazzini, Robert Mircea, and Lorenzo Bilotti entered the decisive final run in tenth place. However, due to several minor contacts with the barriers, he lost a significant amount of time and ultimately had to settle for eleventh place. Baumgartner's best World Championship result to date, seventh place from the previous year, remained unmatched.