Germany leads fields at bobsled, luge world championships

ST. MORITZ, Switzerland (AP) — Germany has captured the first two bobsled gold medals of this year’s world championships, with Laura Nolte driving to the win in women’s monobob and Johannes Lochner winning the two-man championship.

Kaillie Humphries of the U.S. was second in monobob, the lone U.S. medal so far at the championships that continue in St. Moritz next weekend.

Germany’s Francesco Friedrich drove to second in two-man, ending a run of seven consecutive world championships for him in that event. He also is the two-time defending Olympic champion in both two-man and four-man.

The championships continue next weekend with women’s bobsled and the four-man competition.

LUGE

Germany won gold medals in eight of the nine events at the luge world championships that concluded Sunday in Oberhof, Germany.

The doubles sled of Toni Eggert and Sascha Benecken won three world titles over the course of the weekend — men’s doubles, men’s doubles sprint and they were part of Germany’s winning team relay.

Anna Berreiter was a two-time world champion (women’s singles, team relay). The German women’s doubles team of Jessica Degenhardt and Cheyenne Rosenthal also won a pair of world titles (women’s doubles, women’s doubles sprint).

Other winners for Germany included Dajana Eitberger (women’s sprint), Felix Loch (men’s sprint) and Max Langenhan (as part of the team relay).

The other gold medal awarded went to Austria’s Jonas Muller in men’s singles.

The U.S. did not medal at the world championships.

SKELETON

Germany’s Susanne Kreher won the women’s skeleton world championship at St. Moritz, while Britain’s Matt Weston won the men’s race.

Mirela Rahneva of Canada was the lone North American medalist, taking bronze in the women’s event.