Skeletonworld championships 2021
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The world championship race in Altenberg sees the Russian lead, with Martins Dukurs already out of the game. The Azzurri were really good, the decisive heats on Friday.
Thursday 11 February 2021 3 minutes reading time
As in the women's context there is no shortage of surprises, first of all the absence of the six-time world champion Martins Dukurs from the fight for medals, in the race of the Altenberg world championships for the men's skeleton.
The legendary Baltic champion, on a track he has never particularly loved, despite having won it four times, made a big mistake in the first run, finishing the first day of racing even in 14th place, far from the positions that compete with him. The fight for the title will be the stuff of others and as in the last edition, everything will be decided on a tight thread, since the first three are divided by just 6 cents, with the Russian Alexander Tretiakov leading the trio for gold halfway through the race, followed by the two hosts Felix Keisinger and Christopher Grotheer.
The first two authors of powerful starts and heats in any case quite precise, while the native of Wernigerode is forced to make up for with the handicap starting guide. Fight for the podium which, except for twists and turns, always around the corner on the Saxon basin, seems limited to the three of them since the first pursuer, the young Russian Rukosuev, junior world champion and positive surprise of the day, is detached by 49 cents.
Fifth was the other Teutonic Alexander Gassner, author of two imperfect runs. Excellent performance offered so far by Mattia Gaspari; for Ampezzano a good first run even if with some inaccuracies followed by a great second descent that puts him in provisional 9th place. Good performance also for the other blue in the race, Amedeo Bagnis, 12th despite a second downhill not free from errors.
Another disappointed champion on this first day was the Olympic champion Sungbin Yun, 16th, colorless test in the driving phase and not very performing materials for the whole Korean team. On Friday the two final heats that will outline the ranking and assign the medals.
Matteo Collodoro
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