Friedrich won the season title with a race to spare after securing a seventh victory on the trot as part of a dominant German quartet.

With Thorsten Margis, Candy Bauer and Alexander Schueller, Friedrich’s team posted a winning time of 1min 49.08sec after runs of 54.40sec and 54.68.

Friedrich tops the four-man standings on 1,350 points - 229 ahead of Canada's Justin Kripps who is unable to catch the German.

Brad Hall, Taylor Lawrence, Nick Gleeson and Greg Cackett of Britain came second in Winterberg with 1:49.50, while United States pilot Hunter Church celebrated his second podium finish of the four-man season with Joshua Williamson, Kristopher Horn and Charles Volker in 1:49.54.

Rutherford, who claimed gold in the men's long jump at the London 2012 Olympic Games, is aiming to make the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics after making the switch to bobsleigh.

The 35-year-old teamed up with Lamin Deen, Sam Blanchet, Luke Dawes but that British team finished 17th.

European champion Laura Nolte of Germany secured her fourth two-woman victory of the season to boost her bid for the overall title.

Nolte and Deborah Levi won the penultimate stage of the season in 1:57.15 courtesy of a superb first run.

The German duo posted the quickest time in the opening heat with 58.95sec before coming fifth in the second run with 58.20 to take the title.

Compatriots Kim Kalicki and Leonie Fiebig came second in 1:57.28, while Kaillie Humphries and Sylvia Hoffman of the US posted two solid runs to finish third in 1:57.30.

American racers Elana Meyers Taylor and Kaysha Love registered the fastest second run with 57.78 but it was not enough to gain a podium place as they placed fourth in 1:57.55.

Taylor tops the two-woman leaderboard on 1,321 points with Nolte climbing to second on 1,286 and Canada’s Christine de Bruin third on 1,272.

St Moritz in Switzerland is scheduled to host the final IBSF World Cup leg from January 15 to 16, which doubles up as the IBSF European Championships.