Germany, USA Win Medals in Opening FIL Sprint World Cup

From Winterberg, GER

(Nov. 26, 2017) The FIL Sprint World Cup kicked off with its opening leg in Winterberg, with both Germany and the United States finding themselves atop the podium.

Men’s Luge

In the men’s race, German Felix Loch sailed to a gold medal, finishing an impressive. .118 ahead of Russian Semen Pavlichenko. Austria’s Nico Gleirscher finished third, just barely edging out Ralf Palik of Germany.

Tucker West, the only North American to qualify for the sprint event, finished 15th.

Women’s Luge

Emily Sweeney came very close to winning a gold medal in the World Cup full-course race earlier in the day, missing out after one mistake late in her second run. In the Sprint World Cup, though, she was golden and helped lead the USA to a 1-2 finish.

Sweeney and Winterberg World Cup bronze medalist Summer Britcher went gold-silver in the Sprint World Cup, with the gold medal for Sweeney being her first ever in FIL World Cup / Sprint World Cup action.

Natalie Geisenberger led the way for Germany with a bronze medal, just ahead of teammates Tatjana Hüfner and Julita Taubitz.

Canadian Alex Gough was the top finishing Canadian in eighth, while Kimberley McRae finished 13th. Erin Hamlin rounded out a strong American effort in 15th.

Doubles Luge

As they tend to do in doubles luge, German dominated the Sprint World Cup, sweeping the podium.

The team of Wendl & Arlt had the slowest start speed of any team on the podium, but managed to have the best run when it counted on their way to a Sprint World Cup gold medal, edging German teammates Eggert & Benecken and Geueke & Gamm.

The American duo of Mortensen & Terdiman were the top-scoring non-German team in fourth, while Latvians Sics & Sics finished fifth. Canadians Walker & Snith finished sixth, while the American team of Hyrns & Espinoza finished eighth.