Friedrich wins 80th World Cup bobsled gold, Humphries returns, USA Luge gets pair of top-5 finishes

By The Associated Press

Emily Sweeney of the United States waves after the women's sprint race at the Luge World Cup in Igls near Innsbruck, Austria, Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)[ASSOCIATED PRESS/Matthias Schrader]

ALTENBERG, Germany (AP) — Francesco Friedrich of Germany has won his 80th World Cup gold medal. He teamed with rookie Simon Wulff on Saturday to prevail in the opening two-man bobsled race of the season. It was Friedrich’s 133rd World Cup medal. He’s now won 48 of his 100 two-man races on the circuit. Wulff was in a World Cup race for the first time. In the women’s monobob race later Saturday, reigning Olympic champion Kaillie Humphries of the U.S. returned to World Cup sliding less than six months after giving birth to her first child and finished seventh. In Austria, USA Luge had a pair of top-five finishes Saturday.