Popov Upsets Lange In Park City 4-Man World Cup

PARK CITY, Utah (December 9, 2006) -- Evgeni Popov of Russia upset Olympic Champion Andre Lange of Germany Saturday night in the FIBT World Cup Bobsleigh Four-Man race at Utah Olympic Park.

It was the first World Cup victory ever for Popov, who earned his first medal last week in Calgary. Popov and Lange are tied for the World Cup lead with 190 points.

With a time of 1:33.89 (46.90, 46.99), Popov and his team of Dmitry Trunenkov, Roman Orechnikov and Dmitry Stepushkin earned a victory of two tenths of a second over Lange, Alexander Roediger, Kevin Kuske and Martin Putze. Lange and his crew finished second in 1:34.09 (47.05, 47.04).

Winning bronze was the Latvian sled of Janis Minins, Daumants Dreiskens, Ainars Podnieks and Reinis Rozitis with a time of 1:34.24 (47.04, 47.20), while the Swiss team of Ivo Rueegg, Tommy Herzog, Roman Handschin and Cedric Grand tied for fourth in 1:34.43 with Canadians Pierre Lueders, Ken Kotyk, David Bissett and Lascelles Brown. Rueegg had runs of 47.25 and 47.18, and Lueders had runs of 47.22 and 47.21.

Lueders holddown thirdplace in the four-man standings with 150 points. Minins is fourth with 140 and Alexandr Zoubkov of Russia and American Steven Holcomb are tied for fifth with 125 points each.