Götschi wins ninth Swiss bobsleigh title

Götschi and Acklin needed just one day to take the title Keystone

Reto Götschi has clinched his ninth Swiss championship title in the two-man bobsleigh. Paired with Guido Acklin, the Zurich sledder kept a firm grip on the title which he has held uninterrupted since 1993.

Götschi and Acklin were handed the victory after bad weather in St Moritz forced Sunday’s second day of racing to be cancelled. Saturday’s two races had seen the two men finish a quarter of a second ahead of Martin Annen and Beat Hefti.

Third place went to Christian Reich and Steve Anderhub with all three teams earning themselves selections for this month’s European Championships in Germany.

Götschi’s latest success also earned him automatic selection for the World Championships being held in St Moritz at the end of the month.

Organisers will be hoping that the weather conditions in the resort have improved by then, although Sunday’s decision to curtail the Swiss championship programme was far from being a rarity.

The Swiss championships have been reduced to a one-day event on no less than eight occasions. Warm weather or heavy snowfall has caused the event to be curtailed six times.

In 1994 the results from the first day of racing in the two-man event were annulled because of irregular conditions while the 1996 competition was stopped on the second day after a wayward sleigh damaged the final bend.

swissinfo with agencies