German teams dominate mixed event

Oberhof (FIL/26 Jan 2025) This format was not only fun for the spectators at the ice track in Oberhof. Germany's top doubles Tobias Wendl/Tobias Arlt also love the EBERSPAECHER mixed event presented by SKECHERS. As at the event’s debut in Lillehammer, the six-time Olympic champions also won the second race, this time with Jessica Degenhardt and Cheyenne Rosenthal as partners. Their winning time was 1:36.365 minutes. The Austrian team of Thomas Steu/Wolfgang Kindl and Selina Egle/Lara Kipp were 0.182 seconds behind.

With a gap of 0.340 seconds, third place went to the Italians with Ivan Nagler/Fabian Malleier and Andrea Vötter/Marion Oberhofer. Dajana Eitberger and Magdalena Matschina were teamed up with Hannes Orlamünder and Paul Gubitz this time. As Germany 2, they finished 0.574 seconds behind in fourth place ahead of the US team (Marcus Mueller/Ansel Haugsjaa and Chevonne Forgan/Sophia Kirkby/0.580). Team Latvia with Martins Bots/Roberts Plume and Marta Robezniece/Kitija Bogdanova/0.749) finished sixth.

There was a swap of places in the mixed singles. With a time of 1:36.948 minutes, Felix Loch and Merle Fräbel were 0.182 seconds faster than Max Langenhan and Julia Taubitz, who had won the first race in Lillehammer. „We were hoping to win“, said Loch, „Merle pulled it off with a clean run in the lower section.“ Max Langenhan was already looking ahead to the season finals in PyeongChang, when the final mixed event will be held: „We need to do the maths of which places we need to achieve so that we can all finish equal on points and celebrate together.“

As for the Austrians, their second team was also faster than team 1. Nico Gleirscher and Lisa Schulte made it onto the podium, 0.460 seconds behind. However, Wolfgang Kindl of Austria 1 had a mammoth programme to complete. After the men's singles race, he competed in the mixed doubles competition with his partner Steu and Egle/Kipp, and after that in the mixed singles with Madeleine Egle. The result: fourth place, 0.518 seconds behind.

Further places were taken by USA 2 with Tucker West and Ashley Farquharson (0.546), Italy 1 (Dominik Fischnaller/Verena Hofer/0.800) and Latvia 1 (Gints Berzins/Kendija Aparjode/1.133). Switzerland's Natalie Maag and Alexander Ferlazzo (Australia) once again formed the best mixed nations team, finishing in eighth place (1.183).