Level pegging in battle between Tatyana Ivanova and Julia Taubitz

Sigulda (RWH) Julia Taubitz has drawn level in her tussle with European Champion Tatyana Ivanova from Russia. The long-term rivals have four wins apiece with two-thirds of the Viessmann World Cup season completed. Julia Taubitz celebrated the sixth singles win of her career at the sixth round of the race series in Sigulda, Latvia, closing the gap to the second-placed European Champion in the overall standings to 17 points.

After finishing seventh on her second run, Julia Taubitz led the way while Tatjana Ivanova improved from eighth to second place. Third place went to Latvia’s Eliza Cauce. Madeleine Egle (AUT) finished fifth behind the Russian Viktoriia Demchenko. The USA’s Summer Britcher was among the frontrunners after the first run but dropped back to18th after a mistake on her second attempt.

In the overall standings, Viktoriia Demchenko lies third on 452 points behind Ivanova (667 points) and Taubitz (650).

Sigulda will host the BMW Sprint World Cup on Sunday, the ninth of twelve individual Viessmann World Cup races on the schedule.

Quotes

Julia Taubitz (GER / World Championship silver medallist 2019)

“Three years ago I couldn’t even qualify here, and now I’ve won it. I wasn’t expecting that. It’s unbelievable! My battle with Tatyana Ivanova is great fun and extremely tight.”

Tatyana Ivanova (RUS / four-time European Champion)

“I fell in the final training session, so I was a little cautious going into the first run. My second attempt was really good but I didn’t get the Kreisel turn quite right. My battle with Julia is really exciting.”

Eliza Cauce (LAT / Olympic bronze medallist 2014 Team Relay, European Championship runner-up 2016)

“My friends always come along to my home race in Sigulda. That helps to motivate me, but it means the pressure at my home race is much greater than in other races.”