Bobsleigh-Germany dominate medals in team, two-man races

KOENIGSSEE, Germany, Feb 19 ( Reuters) - Germany's Francesco Friedrich beat Canada for the gold medal in front of his home crowd on Sunday to clinch a fourth straight world championship title in the two-man bobsleigh as the hosts dominated the podium.

Friedrich and Thorsten Margis, the pre-race favourites, maintained a lead throughout Saturday's opening heats and stormed to victory. His fourth title edged him closer to the record five won by Eugenio Monti between 1957 and 1962.

"He did it five times and I will have to wait a few years until I can get a shot at it," Friedrich said. "My next goal now are the Olympics (In 2018)."

Canada's Justin Kripps and Jesse Lumsden had to settle for silver, 1.2 seconds behind, with Germany's Johannes Lochner and Joshua Bluhm clinching bronze.

The hosts did even better in the team competition with a one-two finish as Lochner's Germany I secured top spot ahead of Germany II and the international team, the first to earn a world championship medal. (Reporting by Karolos Grohmann, editing by Ed Osmond)