SALT LAKE CITY — Latvia’s 2-man bobsledding team has looked strong in the build-up to this season’s first World Championship event.

The first round of the FIBT World Cup officially starts on Thursday with the season culminating at the Olympic Games in Vancouver, Canada in February. Each of the World Cup events will consist of the 2-man bobsledding, 4-man bobsledding and the skeleton.

Latvia’s 2-man team, consisting of Janis Minins and Edgar Maskalāna have been particularly strong in practice runs on the Park City course, recording some  of the quickest times to date, with their best run stopping the clock at 48.27 seconds.

Minins is considered to be one of the best pilots in the world and has been ear-marked as a person to keep an eye on this season.

Also competing in Salt Lake City will be Latvia’s four man team which Janis Minins will also be piloting, as well as Martins Dukurs who will be competing in the men’s skeleton.

This season the World Cup will receive added interest as an indicator of who will be strong at next February’s Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada.

balticreports.com will follow the progress of the Latvian two and four-man bobsleigh teams, as well as that of Martins Dukurs as they begin their journey to potential Olympic glory.