Loch claims World Cup title with round to spare

Since the last Olympics Loch has won 17 of the 35 World Cup races, cementing himself as the odds-on favourite going into Sochi 2014.

In Altenberg this weekend the German finished both his runs in a combined time of 1:48.921minutes to seal his fourth win in a row at the German track.

Russia's Albert Demchenko was runner-up, 0.302seconds further back, while Loch's compatriot Andi Langerhan was third, another 0.256seconds off the pace.

With just one round left there is still plenty up for grabs with German David Moeller currently occupying second on 515 points, with Italian Armin Zoeggeler just 20 further back in third and Dominik Fischnaller fourth on 464.

Loch's victory capped off a superb day for the home crowd who also saw the doubles team of Tobias Wendl and Tobias Arlt clinch their third World Cup title.

Their win was their sixth in eight races this season, the duo finishing their two runs in 1:23.789minutes, 0.219 seconds better than compatriots Toni Eggert and Sascha Benecken who secured overall silver.

Austrians Peter Penz and Georg Fischler were third in Altenberg and stay there in the overall World Cup standings on 484 points, Italians Christian Oberstolz and Patrick Gruber still in the hunt for bronze as they have 448 points with just one race remaining.