When considering vintage bobsled competitions….especially the world 4-man competition….there are two nations that dominated the sport in the 1970’s and 1980’s….Switzerland and East Germany (Duetsches Democratic Republic)….and at the 1985 World 4-Man Bobsled Championships at Cervinia, Italy….it was no different.
In this video herewith….we see the 4th and final run of the competition….as the Swiss I sled, driven by Joe Belina comes down the course 1st in a time of 1:03.48….for a total of 4:14.81 in his four runs. Next up are the East German 1 sled driven by Bernard Lehman….who had been on a world championship as a brakeman….but never as a driver…. when he drive his sled to time of a time of 1:03.66….for a total 4:14.06….an incredible 21 seconds faster than the world championship s driven on the same track 10 years earlier….while taking over 1st place in the competition.
The USA sled driven by Jeff Jost….but unfortunately the brakeman fell at the start and had to run to catch up to the sled….DANG!!!!….can you imagine if he didn’t make it!?!….who looked a bit like “the keystone cops”. Next up was came East Germany II driven by Detlef Richter….who drives the DDR II sled to 1:03.19….for a total of 414.63….while replacing the Swiss in 2nd place….as the East Germans took gold and silver….just like they did at the 1984 Olympics.
The truth of the matter is that the East Germans build bobsled that were so expensive in their technology….that the other nations couldn’t afford….so the rules were changed after this competition….as limits on spending in preparation for a world event…were set.
