From Sigulda, LAT
(Jan. 27, 2018) It wasn’t going to take much for Natalie Geisenberger to clinch the overall World Cup title in Sigulda, with the German coming into the event well ahead of teammates Tatjana Hüfner and Dajana Eitberger. One more decent race would clinch the title ahead of the sprint event on Sunday.
Geisenberger finished second in the event with the second-quickest run in both heats on her way to a silver medal in the race, which doubled as the European Championships. Behind her, teammate Tajana Hüfner struggled, crashing in her first run to score only 16 points and give the overall title to Geisenberger.
Tatyana Ivanova won the race and the European Championships. Ivanova, who had her 2014 Olympic effort disqualified and is banned for life from all future Olympics due to her involvement in the Russian doping scandal, was quickest in both heats to win gold.
Italian Sandra Robatscher finished third, with Dajana Eitberger, Kendija Aparjode, and Erin Hamlin rounding out the top six.
Julia Taubitz finished sixth in the European Championships as the seventh overall slider in the race.
Erin Hamlin finished out a stellar FIL World Cup career with her sixth place finish. The American will retire from competition after the Olympics. Lillehammer gold medalist Summer Britcher finished 13th, while Emily Sweeney crashed inn her second race to fall from fourth overall to 21st.
Alex Gough led the way for Canada with a ninth place finish, two spots ahead of teammate Kimberley McRae. Brooke Apshkrum crashed in her first run and did not finish.
Results:
| Pos | Name | Nation | Bib | Start 1 | Start 2 | Run 1 | Run 2 | Total |
| 1 | Tatyana Ivanova | RUS | 21 | 1.612 | 1.626 | 42.047 | 41.942 | 1:23.989 |
| 2 | Natalie Geisenberger | GER | 22 | 1.634 | 1.634 | 42.064 | 42.012 | 1:24.076 |
| 3 | Sandra Robatscher | ITA | 16 | 1.639 | 1.638 | 42.172 | 42.188 | 1:24.360 |
| 4 | Dajana Eitberger | GER | 18 | 1.646 | 1.646 | 42.234 | 42.190 | 1:24.424 |
| 5 | Kendija Aparjode | LAT | 3 | 1.667 | 1.682 | 42.286 | 42.187 | 1:24.473 |
| 6 | Erin Hamlin | USA | 15 | 1.653 | 1.658 | 42.344 | 42.137 | 1:24.481 |
| 7 | Julia Taubitz | GER | 14 | 1.655 | 1.656 | 42.286 | 42.252 | 1:24.537 |
| 8 | Eliza Cauce | LAT | 12 | 1.634 | 1.634 | 42.295 | 42.299 | 1:24.594 |
| 9 | Alex Gough | CAN | 19 | 1.619 | 1.630 | 42.217 | 42.386 | 1:24.603 |
| 10 | Andrea Vötter | ITA | 17 | 1.669 | 1.671 | 42.485 | 42.122 | 1:24.607 |
| 11 | Kimberley McRae | CAN | 13 | 1.666 | 1.663 | 42.284 | 42.357 | 1:24.641 |
| 12 | Ulla Zirne | LAT | 9 | 1.681 | 1.670 | 42.288 | 42.359 | 1:24.647 |
| 13 | Summer Britcher | USA | 20 | 1.640 | 1.640 | 42.633 | 42.088 | 1:24.721 |
| 14 | Martina Kocher | SUI | 23 | 1.637 | 1.633 | 42.478 | 42.357 | 1;24.835 |
| 15 | Ewa Kuls-Kusyk | POL | 7 | 1.639 | 1.642 | 42.484 | 42.554 | 1:25.038 |
| 16 | Aileen Christina Frisch | KOR | 5 | 1.637 | 1.637 | 42.636 | 42.463 | 1:25.099 |
| 17 | Eunryung Sung | KOR | 2 | 1.646 | 1.657 | 42.648 | 42.609 | 1:25.257 |
| 18 | Natalia Wojtusciszyn | POL | 6 | 1.700 | 1.700 | 42.638 | 42.698 | 1:25.336 |
| 19 | Natalie Maag | SUI | 1 | 1.672 | 1.694 | 42.717 | 42.755 | 1:25.472 |
| 20 | Madelaine Egle | AUT | 11 | 1.651 | 1.647 | 42.144 | 43.711 | 1:25.855 |
| 21 | Emily Sweeney | USA | 10 | 1.635 | 1.627 | 42.164 | 54.113 | 1:36.277 |
| DNF | Birgit Platzer | AUT | 8 | 1.660 | DNF | |||
| DNF | Brooke Apshkrum | CAN | 4 | 1.658 | DNF | |||
| DNF | Tatajan Hüfner | GER | 24 | 1.620 | DNF |
