Anna Berreiter wins in Oberhof – Tatyana Ivanova is new leader

Oberhof (RWH) Anna Berreiter has celebrated her maiden win in the Viessmann World Cup while Tatyana Ivanova took second to regain her lead in the overall classification. Amidst persistent rain, but much lower temperatures than the day before, the 20-year-old Berchtesgaden native made it onto the top step of the podium for the first time at the Viessmann World Cup in Oberhof (GER). Her previous best result was second place at the Viessmann World Cup in Whistler, Canada.

Julia Taubitz, the previous World Cup leader, finished fourth behind USA luger Summer Britcher and drops back to second in the overall standings with 810 points, behind Ivanova who has 822. After ten of twelve events, the Russian slider Viktoriia Demchenko (592) lies third overall. Anna Berreiter, who competes for RC Berchtesgaden, the same luge club as FIL President Josef Fendt (Olympic silver medallist in 1976 and two-time World Champion), improves to fourth place overall with 482 points.

Following on from Oberhof and the highlight of the season, the 49th World Championships of the International Luge Federation (FIL) in the Russian city of Sochi (14–16 February 2020), the final races of the Viessmann World Cup season are scheduled for Winterberg (22–23 February 2020) and Königssee (29 February – 1 March 2020).

Quotes

Anna Berreiter (ENG / World Cup runner-up in Whistler, Junior European Champion in team relay 2019)

“Oberhof is not my favourite track. So I have no idea how I managed to win here. Now I’m looking forward to Sochi and the World Championships. I’ve never been there before, so I need to make the most of the practice week. If I’m not nervous before the start, something is wrong. So I’m really happy I was nervous again here.”

Tatyana Ivanova (RUS / World Champion 2013, four-time European Champion)

“I didn’t stress about this race and wasn’t even thinking about my battle with Julia for overall victory in the World Cup. I just wanted to put in two good runs, which is exactly what I did.”

Summer Britcher (USA / U23 World Champion 2017)

“I just want to say that the FIL has made some poor choices recently in terms of the start times and starting intervals for the men’s and doubles races. It violates the integrity of our sport. We more fortunate today, especially because the outside temperatures were much lower than on Saturday.”