Renate Gietl (ITA) defended her title Umhausen (ck) - Renate Gietl (ITA) and Ekatharina Lavrentjeva (RUS) set out for their usual duel with the usual close decision. This time Renate Gietl was the favourable one and defended her title. “I was not nervous at all, at the start I heard Kathy’s time and thought, wow brutal, but then I thought that I am strong, too and that I can do the same. Thank God I could really deliver the performance at the right time”, said the old and new World Champion. Silver medallist Lavrentjeva knew exactly where she had lost the race: “This was in my second run, which was full of mistakes. In my third run I gave the best I could, but it was not enough. I am sad and I am happy, both at the same time. The real winner of the day was Melanie Schwarz (ITA), though, who surprisingly could win the bronze medal. Two years ago at the world cup in St. Sebastian (AUT) she crashed and suffered a bad injury with a fractured leg which many saw as the end of her career. “The last two years were not easy and I have had enough moments when I really doubted whether I would ever manage to get back on a sled. But luge is my sport and I love it and I wanted it so badly”, said the happy bronze medallist, who will become a teacher for religion in four years time when she will have graduated from her college in Brixen. She gave her comeback after her injury break here in Umhausen one year ago, in January 2010, where here sudden success gave her a sleepless night: “I did not sleep well, I was so nervous and I was glad that I did not hear any times before the start. I just went full speed and thought, good if it works out and if not, there will be other chances in the future.” But all went well and Melanie Schwarz added her name as the 13th Italian in the eternal list of medallists at world championships. The most successful Italian is still Delia Vaudan with three gold medals. The overall leading athlete, though, is Ekatharina Lavrentjeva with three gold and three silver medals. Final Results Women (18): 1. Renate GIETL (ITA), 1:13,48(2), 1:13,61(1), 1:13,34(1), 3:40,43 2. Ekatharina LAVRENTJEVA (RUS), 1:13,43(1), 1:13,90(2), 1:13,34(1), 3:40,67 3. Melanie SCHWARZ (ITA), 1:14,50(4), 1:14,62(3), 1:14,19(4), 3:43,31 4. Melanie BATKOWSKI (AUT), 1:14,19(3), 1:15,42(4), 1:14,05(3), 3:43,66 5. Evelin LANTHALER (ITA), 1:16,25(8), 1:15,54(5), 1:14,76(6), 3:46,55 6. Sara BACHMANN (ITA), 1:15,31(5), 1:15,60(6), 1:15,95(8), 3:46,86 7. Michaela MAURER (GER), 1:16,17(7), 1:16,07(8), 1:15,09(7), 3:47,28 8. Alexandra OBRIST (ITA), 1:17,01(10), 1:15,78(7), 1:14,64(5), 3:47,43 9. Marlies WAGNER (AUT), 3:50,05 10. Olga SIDOROVA (RUS), 3:50,28 11. Ludmila AKSENENKO (RUS), 3:51,49 12. Tina UNTERBERGER (AUT), 3:51,96