Latvian doubles Upite/Ozolina and Bots/Plume win home races in Sigulda

Sidulda (FIL/07 Jan 2023) In both doubles events Latvian athletes were the measure of all things: Anda Upite and Sanija Ozolina as well as Martins Bots and Roberts Plume won their home World Cups and made the local fans go wild.

The fastest in training and winners of the Latvian Cup, Martins Bots and Roberts Plume, set a new track record with 41.281 seconds and did not let themselves be stopped from the second World Cup victory of their career. They had already set a new record in the first run, but this was beaten by Olympic champions Wendl/Arlt in the second run. The young Latvians with strong nerves countered and won on their home track ahead of Wendl/Arlt (+0.156 sec.) and Italy's Rieder/Kainzwalder (+0.382 sec.) who took their first podium of this season.

Anda Upite and Sanija Ozolina celebrated their first World Cup victory. After the women's double started for the first time ever in Sigulda, the two Latvians also set the new track record with 42.435 seconds in the first run. They won ahead of the US-Americans Chevonne Forgan and Sophia Kirkby (+0.212 sec.) and the reigning World Champions Jessica Degenhardt and Cheyenne Rosenthal (+0.335 sec.), who lead the record list as the fastest starters with 1.629 seconds. Italy's Andrea Vötter and Marion Oberhofer missed the podium for the first time this season with fourth place, but continue to lead the overall standings. The US-Americans Summer Britscher and Emily Sweeny, now in fifth place, did not compete in Sigulda, just like their teammates Maya Chan/Reannyn Weiler. They wanted to concentrate fully on the races in the singles on this technically demanding track.

For Austria's doubles, on the other hand, it was a pitch-black day. Already on site in Sigulda since December 30, the flu epidemic had knocked out not only Madeleine Egle but also Selina Egle, Lara Kipp, Juri Gatt and Thomas Steu. Steu was only able to complete the first training session on Wednesday with partner Lorenz Koller and suffered a painful hand bruise after a crash. They finished twelfth after a messed up second run. Their teammates Gatt/Schöpf had crashed in the first run, but showed with the ninth best time in the second run that they are to be counted on next week. As in training, Selina Egle and Lara Kipp slid through the finish line with the sled in their hands after a crash in the first run. They finished sixth in the end, but collected valuable points for the overall World Cup ranking.

Immediately after her victory in the singles, Dajana Eitberger sat at the FIL microphone as co-commentator of the doubles competition and announced that it is her last season as a singles racer. Starting next season, on her way to the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan-Cortina she would like to compete in women’s doubles, too.

Quotes:

Anda Upite (LAT): “We didn't know until the finish that we had really won and we are very happy. Our goal today was to have two stable runs and we managed to do that. It's incredible to win here in front of the home fans. It was definitely the right decision for me to change to women's doubles.”

Martins Bots (LAT): “It's a great feeling to win here at home. I am just speechless. Unlike our first World Cup win in St. Moritz, we are at home here, our family and friends are on site and we enjoy it very much.”

Emanuel Rieder (ITA):  “We feel very comfortable on this track and have trained a lot here in preparation. Already in our first season in doubles, we finished sixth and we celebrated our first podium here as well. On this track, every ride is a battle against yourself because you have to overcome a lot. However, that is what makes it so exciting for us and great to ride. We'll be testing a few more things in practice for the European Championships next week, but we're in good spirits and will make the most of it.”

The results of the 4th Doubles World Cup of the 2022/23 season are available at the following link:https://www.fil-luge.org/de/ergebnisse/eberspaecher-weltcup-22