Fourth win for Alex Gough in the Viessmann World Cup

Whistler (RWH) The Canadian luger Alex Gough is beginning to find her form in the pre-Olympic winter. A week after taking third at the Viessmann World Cup in Lake Placid, the bronze medallist at the 2011 and 2013 World Championships clinched her fourth singles victory in Whistler. Gough relegated the German Natalie Geisenberger to second place on the track used for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. This was the 2014 Olympic Champion’s first defeat in the Viessmann World Cup in Whistler. Third place went to Tatjana Hüfner (GER) who took Olympic gold here six years ago.

Geisenberger and Hüfner are currently joint first in the overall World Cup standings with 310 points apiece. Alex Gough follows on 236 points, with Dajana Eitberger in fourth place (264).

All races at the third Viessmann World Cup of the season on the Olympic track on Blackcomb Mountain were reduced to a single run following sled transportation problems. The Nations Cup was cancelled entirely and will not be rescheduled. In the women’s event, the first 24 seeded athletes were allowed to start. 

The World Cup entourage now travels as planned to Park City in Utah, USA, where the last event on the calendar before the Christmas break will take place on the 2002 Olympic track. The races are scheduled for 16 and 17 December, and the America-Pacific Championships will also be staged using the race-in-race format.

Quotes

Alex Gough (CAN / World Championship bronze medallist 2011 and 2013)

“It’s overwhelming. To win on my home track is really special. The one training day was very welcome as I had been in bed nursing a cold for four days beforehand.”

Natalie Geisenberger (GER / 2014 Olympic Champion and three-time World Champion)

“It was a very difficult day for all of us.  The two thousandths of a second difference to Tatjana Hüfner could turn out to be crucial in the final World Cup standings. But it could have been much worse.”

Tatjana Hüfner (GER, 2010 Olympic Champion and four-time World Champion)

“My run wasn’t quite perfect. I could easily have found the five tenths of a second I needed to take first place.”