Dukurs brothers reign supreme at home of Skeleton

The sliders of Winter sport have moved to the last hand made track this weekend and that means St. Moritz. First up up? What else but the men's skeleton the event that before 2002 had only appeared when the Olympics of 1928 and 1948 were held in this high altitude Swiss resort.

In the first of two men's events here this weekend it was this seasons top four in the standing who were the four fastest after heat 1. For the Lativian Dukurs brothers younger brother Thomass had the better of the four time world cup winner, looking for his fifth in a row, older brother Martins on the first run. Behind them Matthew Antoine USA had the edge over Alexander Tretiakov RUS but there was only 0.17 seconds covering the top 4 and only 0.03 separating 2nd from 4th. So it was all to play for on the second run.

Before the contest at the fast end of the first run, German Frank Rommel put in a great performance the first man to record a time of over 101 km/h in the last speed trap all day which saw him rise into the top 10. Britain's former World Champion Kristan Bromley also but in a good run, recording one of the fastest times at the speed guns and indeed his time of 1:10.21 was only to be beaten by those top 4 sliders as well as thew unfortunate USA slider Eric Neilson who had a big hit near the end which saw he drop down to 9th having been 5th at the end of the first run. Bromley's run would eventually see him climb to 7th overall.

Martins Dukurs Picture captured from Bobsleigh and Skeleton TV

Tretiakov didn't manage to be the first man to go under 1:10 twice, so when Antoine did he was able to retain at least a podium spot, but he then had the pair who were one-two last weekend in Winterberg and in last year's World Cup to come after him.

Martins Dukurs set a new track record of 1:09.30 while his brother was preparing in the start gate. Thomass came down in the second fastest time of the day, but it was only 0.04 seconds faster than his previous run, a full 0.4 seconds down on the track record set moments before and 0.26 second behind his brother, who win took him back to the top of the world cup standings.

Result

1. Martins Dukurs LAT 1:09.88 + 1:09.30 (TR) = 2:19.18
2. Thomass Dukurs LAT 1:09.74 + 1:09.70 = 2:19.44 +0.26
3. Matthew Antoine USA 1:09.90 + 1:09.97 = 2:19.87 +0.69
4. Alexander Tretiakov RUS 1:09.91 + 1:10.07 = 2:19.98 +0.80
5. Kyle Tress USA 1:10.22 + 1:10.28 = 2:20.50 +1.32
6. John Fairburn CAN 1:10.28 + 1:10.31 = 2:20.59 +1.41
7. Kristan Bromley GBR 1:10.39 + 1:10.21 = 2:20.60 +1.42
8. Alexander Kroeckel RUS 1:10.37 + 1:10.25 = 2:20.62 +1.44
9. Eric Neilson USA 1:10.18 + 1:10.46 = 2:20.64 +1.46
10. Eric Rommel GER 1:10.58 + 1:10.24 = 2:20.82 +1.64

World Cup Standings

1. Martins Dukurs LAT 1045
2. Alexander Tretiakov RUS 1037
3. Thomass Dukurs LAT 988
4. Matthew Antoine USA 985
5. Frank Rommel GER 816