A belated birthday gift for Natalie Geisenberger thanks to fourth European Championship title – Tatjana Hüfner secures a farewell silver medal

Oberhof (RWH) Five days after her 31st birthday, Natalie Geisenberger secured a belated gift for herself: her fourth European Championship title. At the Viessmann World Cup race in Oberhof – which also served as the International Luge Federation’s (FIL) 50th European Championships – the 2014 and 2018 Olympic Champion celebrated her fifth win of the season.

Winning silver in the European Championships, Tatjana Hüfner said a fitting farewell to fans in Oberhof ahead of her retirement at the end of the post-Olympic season. After winning silver and bronze in the Junior World Championships, Tatjana Hüfner won her first ever international medal when she won silver at the European Championships in Oberhof back in 2004.

The German athlete has won every title going in the world of luge: With six World Championship titles, she holds a record number of wins in the event. She also owns a full set of Olympic medals (gold in 2010, silver in 2014 and bronze in 2006). The 35-year-old has also won the overall Viessmann World Cup on five occasions and finally completed her set of titles when she won European Championship gold in 2016. The race organisers paid tribute to Tatjana Hüfner’s success with an emotional photo slideshow reflecting key moments in her career.

After taking the lead in the first heat, Olympic silver medallist Dajana Eitberger won bronze in the European Championships.

Natalie Geisenberger leads the overall standings in the Viessmann World Cup with a total of 882 points. She is followed in second place by Julia Taubitz (706), who finished fifth, and in third place by the USA’s Summer Britcher (556), who placed sixth in Oberhof. 

Quotes

Natalie Geisenberger (GER / 2014 and 2018 Olympic Champion, four-time World Champion, six-time overall winner of the Viessmann World Cup, 2008, 2013, 2017 and 2019 European Champion)

“Winning in front of this backdrop made the race all that more fun. Overall, this season has gone really well for me. Training went well and I was able to get to grips with the equipment. And even the weather played ball this time.”

Tatjana Hüfner (GER / 2010 Olympic Champion, six-time World Champion, 2016 European Champion)

“Natalie deserves the title of European Champion. I’m super happy. This rounds everything off very nicely for me. On the whole, this season hasn’t been great. My runs have been missing that extra kick. That’s why I changed my equipment again and switched back to last year’s sled.”

Dajana Eitberger (GER / 2015 European Champion, 2018 Olympic silver medallist)

“I was incredibly nervous, even ahead of the second run. I think that was reflected in all the little mistakes I made.”