From Altenberg, GER
(January 12, 2025) – Latvia won their seventh gold medal in the FIL World Cup Team Relay, despite a great effort by the German women’s doubles team to rally from behind.
The race started off with Canada’s Trinity Ellis, Wardrope and Zajanski, Dylan Morse, and Podulsky and Allan taking their first runs in the relay this season. The team stayed in the leader’s box for a little bit, as neither Poland nor Romania could unseat them.
The fourth team off the top were the Americans. Ashley Farquharson set the quick downtime for any of the women’s singles sliders, and Mueller & Haugsjaa, Jonny Gustafson, and Forgan and Kirkby all had clean and quick slide to take the lead.
Their lead wouldn’t stand for terribly long, though. Kendija Aparjode kept it close with Farquharson, and then Bots and Plume, Kristers Aparjods pulled away and made it academic for Robezniece and Bogdanova as the Latvians took the lead by a half of a second.
The Latvians and Americans held their spots, as nearly all of the Italians had issues somewhere or other along the track. Ukraine, fresh off of a surprise bronze medal in Sigulda, slid to what would be eighth place.
The Austrians expected to contend for the win, if not a medal, in Altenberg. But like the Italians before them, the team generally just couldn’t find a clean trip down the track. Selina Egle and Lara Kipp did bring the team close to a medal, but their effort wasn’t enough as they finished just under .2 behind the Americans.
The final team off was the always strong German team, fresh off their 50th relay gold medal in Sigulda. Neither Anna Berreiter or Wendl and Arlt’s slides were 100% clean and the team found themselves well back early. Max Langenhan couldn’t outslide Aparjods, but kept the team in it for Degenhardt and Rosenthal.
The German women’s doubles stars were quick all the way down the 950 meter course, and closed the gap significantly. But the team ran out of track, and hit the paddle .199 behind the Latvians into second place, with Latvia winning gold and USA bronze.
Latvia’s gold ties them with Austria and Italy for third all time in relay wins behind Russia with 12 and Germany with 50.
With two relays still to go in the 2024/2025 World Cup season, Germany leads Austria by 15 points. Ukraine still is third, two points ahead of Latvia. Italy and the United States are tied for fifth.
Results:
| Pos | Names | Nation | Bib | Women | M-Doubles | Men | W-Doubles |
| 1 | Aparjode / Bots & Plume / Aparjods / Robezniece & Bogdanova | LAT | 5 | 49.069 | 1:37.668 | 2:25.716 | 3:15.715 |
| 2 | Berreiter / Wendl & Arlt / Langenhan / Degenhardt & Rosenthal | GER | 9 | 49.494 | 1:38.226 | 2:26.370 | 3:15.914 |
| 3 | Farquharson / Mueller & Haugsjaa / Gustafson / Forgan & Kirkby | USA | 4 | 48.820 | 1:37.753 | 2:26.452 | 3:16.149 |
| 4 | Egle / Müller & Frauscher / N. Gleirscher / Egle & Kipp | AUT | 8 | 49.553 | 1:38.677 | 2:27.083 | 3:16.336 |
| 5 | Robatscher / Rieder & Kainzwaldner / Fischnaller / Oberstolz & Kofler | ITA | 6 | 49.647 | 1:38.674 | 2:27.158 | 3:17.754 |
| 6 | Ellis / Wardrope & Zajanski / Morse / Podulsky & Allan | CAN | 1 | 49.905 | 1:38.950 | 2:28.287 | 3:20.429 |
| 7 | Buzatoiu / Handaric & Motzca / Cretu / Stramaturaru & Manolescu | ROU | 3 | 49.647 | 1:40.399 | 2:29.920 | 3:20.719 |
| 8 | Tunytska / Hoi & Kachmar / Dukach / Stetskiv & Mokh | UKR | 7 | 49.989 | 1:40.703 | 2:29.817 | 3:21.409 |
| 9 | Domoaradzka / Chmielewski & Kowalewski / Sochowicz / Domowicz & Piwkowska | POL | 2 | 50.752 | 1:40.338 | 2:29.466 | 3:21.918 |