Germany Edges Latvia in Relay Finale

From Sigulda, LAT

(March 3, 2024) – In a fitting end to an exciting FIL World Cup season, Germany edged out Latvia in the season finale for the Team Relay.

Latvia took the lead from Italy with the fourth starting spot after slides by Elina Vitola, Bots and Plume, Kristers Aparjods and Upite and Kaluma. That lead held after a challenge from the United States.

Austria was the penultimate team off the top. Their relationship with Siguld a has been questionable, at best, and that relationship continued with a crash from Lisa Schulte that knocked Austria down to what would eventually be seventh.

That left Germany between Latvia and a home ice victory. Early on, Anna Berreiter fell behind Vitola, but the doubles team of Wendl & Arlt brought Germany back to just ahead of the Latvians. Felix Loch, always consistent, fell behind by almost a tenth against Aparjods, the track record holder. But the duo of Degenhardt and Rosenthal, the World Cup winners earlier in the weekend, were able to bring Germany back again to give the nation its fourth win of the season and first since Winterberg.

Latvia took silver, its third straight medal.

The American team of Ashley Farquharson, DiGregorio and Hollander, Tucker West, and Forgan and Kirkby won bronze in the United States’ fourth podium in six races.

Italy was the odd team out in fourth, with Ukraine fifth, China sixth and Austria seventh.

With their win, Germany wins the Team Relay World Cup title, 94 points ahead of Austria. The United States finishes the season in third place, 30 points ahead of Latvia, with Italy in fifth. Ukraine, Romania, China, Poland, and Canada round out the top ten.

Results: