Germany's Francesco Friedrich took an outright four-man bobsleigh lead with one IBSF World Cup remaining after triumphing in Innsbruck ©IBSF

Four-time Olympic gold medallist Francesco Friedrich climbed into an overall four-man bobsleigh lead at the penultimate International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation (IBSF) World Cup event of the season, with fellow German Lisa Buckwitz winning the women's monobob in Innsbruck.

World Championships gold-medal winning crew Friedrich, Thorsten Margis, Candy Bauer and Alexander Schüller recorded a track record to beat the British crew piloted by Brad Hall.

The German team's time of 50.28sec on the first run was the fastest ever recorded in the four-man at the Olympic Sliding Centre, and they followed it with the quickest time of the second run at 50.37 to finish in 1min 40.65sec.

Hall drew level on points at the top of the standings after back-to-back wins in Altenberg, but slipped 15 behind Friedrich with 1,497 points to 1,512.

The British team consisting of Hall, Arran Gulliver, Taylor Lawrence and Greg Cackett took silver as they did at the World Championships in St Moritz, recording the second-fastest time on both runs with 50.43 and 50.41 for a total of 1:40.84.

Their result in the Austrian resort has secured Britain its first men's bobsleigh World Cup podium since the 1994-1995 season.

Olympic silver medallist Johannes Lochner guided the German team to third with Florian Bauer, Erec Bruckert and Joshua Tasche in 1:40.99.

They clocked 50.51 on the first run, and climbed from fifth to third with 50.48 on the second.

Innsbruck is due to host the final four-man World Cup event of the season tomorrow.

In the women's monobob, Buckwitz earned her first World Cup victory in the discipline, clocking a course-record 54.49 on the first run and following it with a 54.71 to finish in 1:49.20.

Australia's Breeana Walker was 0.18 further back in second after a 54.70 and 54.68 effort, and a superb second run from Canada's Cynthia Appiah helped her climb from sixth to third in 1:49.42.

Appiah started with a 54.79, but followed it with the quickest time on the second runs of 54.683.

Lisa Buckwitz of Germany set a track record en route to her first women's monobob World Cup victory ©IBSF
Lisa Buckwitz of Germany set a track record en route to her first women's monobob World Cup victory ©IBSF

American Kaillie Humphries slipped from second with a time of 54.60, to fourth after following it with a 54.85 run.

The Olympic champion finished in 1:49.45, but defended her overall lead with 1,487 points.

Second-placed Laura Nolte of Germany, the newly-crowned world champion, finished sixth in 1:49.75 to lose further ground on 1,414.

Appiah is third overall on 1,306.

The last women's monobob event of the season is due to be held in the Latvian resort of Sigulda next Saturday (February 18).

Competition is set to continue in Innsbruck tomorrow with two-woman and four-man bobsleigh events.