German luge quartet claims another Team Relay World Championship

Innsbruck (RWH) Germany’s relay team has added to its haul of gold medals as Tatjana Hüfner, Johannes Ludwig and Toni Eggert/Sascha Benecken romped to their seventh consecutive world title at the 47th World Championships of the International Luge Federation (FIL) in Innsbruck. The German quartet remains unbeaten at the FIL World Championships since the new race format, which is now also an Olympic event, made its debut.

Record-breaking World Champion Tatjana Hüfner, Johannes Ludwig, who finished fourth in the World Championships, and doubles champions Toni Eggert/Sascha Benecken fended off their nearest rivals to take victory, with the US team featuring Erin Hamlin, Tucker West and Matthew Mortensen/Jayson Terdiman finishing in second place, and the Russian team of Tatyana Ivanova, Roman Repilov and the doubles pairing of Alexander Denisyev/Vladislav Antonov rounding out the podium in third.

A total of 15 relay teams took to the start line, more than ever before at the previous six World Championship team relay events staged since 2009.

According to Reinhard Poller, Secretary General of the Austrian Luge Federation (ÖRV), more than 8,000 spectators attended the three days of World Championship events. They watched a record number of 27 nations in action, with athletes competing in a total of seven World Championship races. The 37th FIL World Championships in 2007 was the only previous event to feature 27 nations.