Schneiderheinze, who retained her continental crown in St Moritz in Switzerland last Saturday (February 6), and her brakewoman Annika Drazek extended their advantage from yesterday’s first two runs to win with a time of 3min 32.38sec.

Victory ensured a second world title for Schneiderheinze, a pusher for Sandra Kiriasis when Germany won the gold medal at the 2005 World Championships in Calgary.

It also gave Germany its first world title in the women’s bobsleigh since 2011 when Cathleen Martini and Romy Logsch won on home ice in Königssee.

"World champion - it’s amazing," said Schneiderheinze. 

"We’re really the best in the world in our sport at the moment.

"Sometimes the timing is just perfect."

Olympic champion Kaillie Humphries and Melissa Lotholz of Canada had to settle for the runners-up spot, 0.33 seconds behind.

Defending world champions Elana Meyers Taylor and Lauren Gibbs of the United States came away with bronze, 0.49 seconds back.

Schneiderheinze and Drazek, last year’s silver medallists, posted a time of 53.12 in the third run to increase her lead over Humphries to 0.36 seconds, while the rest of the field was more than half-a-second behind going into the final heat.

A steering mistake in the last run saw the German lose 0.03 seconds of her advantage, but the win was never under threat.

In the two-man bobsleigh, junior world champion Johannes Lochner leads a German one-two at the half-way stage.

Last year’s silver medallist and his brakeman Joshua Bluhm have clocked an aggregate time of 1min 43.12sec after two of the four runs, giving them a 0.15 second advantage over two-time defending world champion Francesco Friedrich and pushing partner Thorsten Margis.

"We wanted to risk everything on the first day so that we get a better start number," said Lochner.

"And of course we hoped that we’d be among the leaders after coming second last year.

"But I’m actually quite surprised at our lead and good start times."

Defending overall World Cup champions Oskars Melbārdis and Daumants Dreiškens, tied with Lochner and Bluhm for second spot last year, are 0.17 seconds back in third. 

The Latvians set a track record of 51.54 on their first run but dropped from pole position after only managing the sixth-fastest time on their second.

Switzerland’s Beat Heft and Alex Baumann, winner of the European title last week, are 0.22 seconds off the pace in fourth.

The final two heats are scheduled to take place tomorrow followed by a mixed team competition.