Egle/Kipp win women's doubles World Cup premiere
Innsbruck (FIL/03 Dec.2022) Austria's women's doubles Selina Egle and Lara Kipp used their home advantage to take the premiere victory of the women's doubles in the FIL Luge World Cup. Previously held in the World Cup series with the juniors, the women's doubles will compete for the first time in the EBERSPÄCHER Luge World Cup in Igls on their way to the Olympic premiere in Milan-Cortina 2026.
The Austrian duo won ahead of reigning World champions Jessica Degenhardt and Cheyenne Rosenthal (GER, +0.176 sec.) and Italy's Andrea Vötter and Marion Oberhofer (+0.233 sec.). Close behind were the young Latvians Anda Upite/Sanija Ozolina (+0.245 sec.), who set a new start record in the first run with 2.101 seconds. The US-Americans Summer Britcher and Emily Sweeny (+0.531 sec.), who like Vötter/Oberhofer both compete in the women's singles as well as in the women's doubles this season, provided a sign of respect in fifth place.
Eleven duos from eight nations were at the start on the individually adapted unit sleds and delivered an exciting race. Already in the first run Egle/Kipp took the lead with a new track record of 40.021 seconds despite a slight tipper in the finish bend. In the second run they went one better and were again the fastest down the 888m long ice track with 39.998 seconds.
Quotes:
Selina Egle (AUT): “In the first run we made it unnecessarily exciting with the slide in the finish bend, the second was then right on the dot. We had a one-tenth advantage and knew that if we skied down normally, it should fit. This success is huge, we are mega happy!”
Lara Kipp (AUT): “Before the second run I was a bit nervous, but I knew from training that we had the consistency and could do it. I trusted Selina to bring us down super, it feels great.”
Andrea Vötter (ITA): “It was brutally exciting. The race itself was nerve-wracking. It went really cool and that's how it should continue.”
Marion Oberhofer (ITA): “We were hugely confident and happy after the first run to see that we could be in the top three. But you have to get two good runs down first and then you see what's possible.”
Jessica Degenhardt (GER): “I was amazingly calm today, the sled ran great, the runs were very nice and it all felt nice. Of course, it was exciting, but we already did doubles the whole last season. Here in the World Cup, of course, there is a bit more action around it.”
The results of the 1st Women's Doubles World Cup of the 2022/23 season are available at the following link: https://www.fil-luge.org/de/ergebnisse/eberspaecher-weltcup-19
