Arndt fuels Germany to 4-man bobsled world title

Maximilian Arndt and Germany edged the silver medalists by 0.47 seconds to win the world title.

ARNO BALZARINI/EPA

ST. MORITZ, Switzerland (AP) -- Defending champion Steven Holcomb's four-man sled finished third in the bobsled world championships on Sunday, behind Germany and driver Maximilian Arndt.

Arndt and his crew of Marko Huebenbecker, Alexander Roediger and Martin Putze won by 0.47 seconds over silver medalist Alexander Zubkov of Russia who led after the opening two runs Saturday.

"The guys did a terrific job up there at the start," the 25-year-old Arndt said. "I tried not to think about winning the title, but once we'd come through the Horseshoe in the last run, I knew that all I really needed to do was slide down the rest of the track."

Olympic champion Holcomb trailed 0.59 behind Arndt's combined 4-run time of 4 minutes, 20.67 seconds on the Olympia track.

Arndt had the fastest third-run time and took advantage as Holcomb and Zubkov put down just the 16th and 17th fastest times.

Holcomb's crew of Justin Olsen, Steven Langton and Curtis Tomasevicz was fastest on the fourth and final trip down but could not close the gap.

"That was an extremely close and exciting race, and third was the best we could have today," Holcomb said. "My first run (Sunday) was just too bad."

Zubkov won worlds silver for a third time, after being edged for the title in 2005 and `08.