German women victorious in season's 1st World Cup bobsleigh race

Olympic champion Mariama Jamanka of Germany teamed with Annika Drazek to win the first World Cup women's bobsleigh race of the season on Friday.

Olympic champion Mariama Jamanka teamed with Anika Drazek to win gold in Latvia on Friday

The Associated Press · Posted: Dec 07, 2018 11:25 AM EST | Last Updated: December 7, 2018

Mariama Jamanka, pictured above on the right at the Pyeongchang Games, won gold on Friday in Sigulda, Latvia at the first World Cup bobsleigh race of the season. (Patrick Semansky/The Associated Press)

Olympic champion Mariama Jamanka of Germany teamed with Annika Drazek to win the first World Cup women's bobsleigh race of the season on Friday.

Jamanka finished her two runs in 1 minute, 42.68 seconds.

Watch Jamanka and Drazek claim victory in Latvia:

Reigning Olympic champ Mariama Jamanka wins World Cup opener in Latvia

6 years ago

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Mariama Jamanka of Germany teamed with Annika Drazek to win the first World Cup women's bobsleigh race of the season on Friday in Sigulda, Latvia.

Russia's Nadezhda Sergeeva won her first World Cup medal, taking silver with Yulia Belomestnykh in 1:43.29, and Germany took third with Anna Koehler and Lisa Sophie Gericke finishing in 1:43.50.

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The top U.S. finish was a fifth-place showing for driver Brittany Reinbolt and Lauren Gibbs, who were 1.39 seconds off the lead. Three-time Olympic medallist Elana Meyers Taylor and rookie Sylvia Hoffmann were disqualified after being third in the first run because their sled was too light.

Only 10 sleds entered the race and eight finished.

Watch the first heat: