Lillehammer (RWH) Two-times European Champion Tatiana Ivanova is back. Two years after her last victory, the fourth-placed Olympian (2010) has won the third World Cup victory of her career in Lillehammer, Norway. Two weeks before the 45th World Championships organised by the International Luge Federation (FIL) in the Latvian town of Sigulda on 14–15 February 2015, Ivanova, who also won Olympic silver with the Russian relay team in 2014, relegated Alex Gough of Canada to second. Third place went to Dajana Eitberger of Germany. Tatiana Ivanova, who celebrates her 24th birthday on 16 February just one day after the battle for medals in Sigulda, improved the track record she herself had set the previous day in the Nation’s Cup to 47.590 seconds. Ivanova was able to hold her lead on the field in the second run and is now a definite candidate for medals at the World Championships in Sigulda. It was in Sigulda that the Russian luger won her last Viessmann World Cup race (2013) and the first of her two European Championship titles (2010). Natalie Geisenberger, who dropped from second to fifth after messing up the second run, continues to head the overall Viessmann World Cup rankings with a comfortable lead. She now has 825 points to teammate Dajana Eitberger’s 596. Long-running winner Geisenberger had come first in seven of the eight races prior to Lillehammer. 2010 Olympic Champion and four-times World Champion Tatjana Hüfner of Germany is third in the overall standings with 537 points. The eighth round in the Viessmann World Cup takes place a week after the 45th FIL World Championships on the Altenberg track in Saxony (21–22 February 2015). In the break between Lillehammer and the championships in Latvia 14 days from now, the world’s luge elite can look forward to an international training week on the World Championship track in the Baltic. Quotes Tatiana Ivanova (RUS / 2010 and 2012 European Champion, fourth at the 2010 Olympics, second at the 2014 Olympics with the Russian relay team) “That was so important for me. I hadn’t made it onto the podium a single time this winter. And now my first victory in two years. That’s just the motivation I need for Sigulda and the World Championships.” Alex Gough (CAN / 2011 and 2013 World Championship bronze medallist, fourth at the 2014 Olympics) “I’m so happy. It would be even better if first and second place had been the other way round. But seriously, it was a great race. Really exciting, and very close.” Dajana Eitberger (GER / 2014 European Championship bronze medallist and 2009 Junior World Champion) “I was the best German luger, but still didn’t win. That doesn’t happen often. But I’m sure that what’s true in acting will be true for Natalie: a bad dress rehearsal makes for a great opening performance.”