Pavlichenko celebrates second European title

Pavlichenko, who won World and European titles in 2015, was fastest over both runs to finish with a combined time of 1:38.363 minutes.

That was enough for him to climb top spot on the medal rostrum ahead of home favourite Ralf Palik who was 0.248 seconds back with Austria's Wolfgang Kindl third, 0.460 back.

Local hero Felix Loch, who clinched his fifth World Championship title on his home track in 2016, had to settle for fourth, 0.525 seconds behind Pavlichenko.

The latter's Russian team-mate Roman Repilov was fifth to retain his overall lead in the World Cup rankings on 462 ahead of Kindl on 436 and Loch on 435.

Pavlichenko said: "Before the start a spectator told me that this was my kind of weather and it would be a good day for me. He was right!"