Intro:

Junior world champion Nico Walther helped his German team-mates win a four-man bobsled race for his first World Cup victory on Sunday (11th January), while four-time world champion Maximilian Arndt was taken to the hospital for checks after crashing at Altenberg.

Script:

Snow was falling as the four-man bobsleigh got under way in Altenberg, Germany on Sunday.

One of the quartet likely to finish up around the podium was four-time World Champion Maximilian Arndt and his team mates.

However, as they went flying up a right hand turn, the day was done for the team during the first run.

And it was the four-time World Champion who came off the worst.

Arndt suffered cuts, bruises and suspected concussion, while his team-mates escaped unhurt.

Arndt remains in hospital on Sunday evening following further checks.

Onto run two and the Swiss quartet led by Rico Peter added a time of 54.46 seconds to their opening 54.32 to move into top spot.

They were overhauled by Latvia's Melbardis and sidekicks.

54.10 seconds in run one - 54.05 in run two - and whatever happened now, the Latvians had extended their lead in the overall World Cup standings.

The last foursome down were the previously unfancied Germans, led by Nico Walther. They posted an excellent 53.96 first time down.

Although, they were not the fastest on the second run - 54.15 seconds - was enough.

Enough for a first World Cup victory for Walther - the junior world champion - by a margin of 0.04 seconds.

Melbardis and his Latvian team-mates have 635 points an 81-point advantage over Russia's Alexander Kasjanov.