Actually, his next victory in the overall World Cup was just a formality, but Christopher Grotheer gave up the title he thought he had secured and his perfect skeleton season at the finale in Lake Placid.
The Olympic champion, world champion and last year’s overall winner was injured in the first run on the demanding track on Thursday (March 21, 2024) and ended up 17th, 2.04 seconds behind the victorious Chinese Zheng Yin. The Briton Marcus Wyatt came second in the last race of the season ahead of the Italian Amedeo Bagnis.
Results, men arrow right. Men’s Overall World Cup arrow right
Grotheer loses over 100 points in the last race
Grotheer flew overseas with a comfortable 75 point lead over Matt Weston. The Brit did his homework on the Olympic bobsleigh track at Mount Van Hoevenberg and came fourth. Weston thus collected 104 points more than Grotheer, who had to watch helplessly in the finish area as the title was torn from his hands.
“Beuger was treated badly” – Grotheer was unlucky
“I injured myself at the start in the first run. In the second run I had to try to make it work somewhat, but after five meters the flexor on my right leg was badly damaged. I was just surprised that it wasn’t completely torn off,” said Grotheer, who won his third world title after 2020 and 2021 at the World Cup in Winterberg at the end of February.
Entire German team from the role
“The first ride wasn’t good, the second one was better at the top,” the 31-year-old continued, “but there’s not much you can do with the start times and the exit speed, including mistakes.” After the first round, the Thuringian was only 18th and therefore the worst German.
The other BSD athletes also had problems, Felix Seibel came best through both runs in tenth place. Axel Jungk came in 14th behind Felix Keisinger from WSV Königssee.
Pfeifer is the best German in fifth place
In the women’s category, Jaqueline Pfeifer (Winterberg) finished the season with fifth place, making her the best German athlete. Susanne Kreher (Oberbärenburg) came twelfth, Olympic champion Hannah Neise (Winterberg) and Tina Hermann (Königssee) took places 13 and 14.
The Dutchwoman Kimberley Bos secured victory in the overall World Cup with a lead of two hundredths of a second over Kim Meylemans (Belgium).
Overall Women’s World Cup Arrow Right Results, Women Arrow Right