Madeleine Egle wins first gold medal at European Championships on home track

Innsbruck (FIL/13.1.2024) Madeleine Egle made the most of her home advantage at the EBERSPÄCHER Luge World Cup in Innsbruck-Igls. The Austrian was fastest in both runs. In the first run she missed her track record of 39.599 seconds by 25 thousandths of a second. In the end she clocked 1:19.200 minutes. The 25-year-old also won her first individual European championship after winning gold in the team relay in 2020.

Julia Taubitz (Germany) was 0.024 seconds slower. After five World Cup races, Egle is now 3-2. Defending champion Anna Berreiter (Germany, 0.239 seconds behind) came in third. American Ashley Farquharson (0.277) came in fourth with a fantastic second run that moved her from seventh to fourth place. Fifth place went to Lisa Schulte (Austria/0.293), who dropped from fourth place in the second run.

In the post-race interview, Egle still could not fully comprehend her triumph. "This is unbelievable," she said, standing alone on the top step of the podium, "I don't even know what to say. I don't have the words." Then she waved to the bleachers where her parents and friends stood. After the awards ceremony, when she had calmed down a bit, she said: "Nobody can take this title away from me, and it takes a little pressure off before the World Championships.

Julia Taubitz was torn about the result. "Madeleine is just unbelievably strong," she said, paying tribute to winner Egle, "but silver still annoys me, it was an unbelievably close race". This medal is only the second at a European Championships for the three-time World Champion.

Her teammate Anna Berreiter was pleasantly surprised by her third place. "The track in Igls doesn't really suit me, but today I proved myself wrong", the 24-year-old was satisfied with her performance, "I enjoyed the competition again and third place is finally a step in the right direction".

The U23 European Championship title was also contested within the World Cup and European Championships. Italy's Verena Hofer won the gold ahead of Germany's Merle Fräbel and Melina Fischer. Hofer finished ninth, 0.555 seconds behind winner Egle. "It was perfect racing weather today with great ice conditions - sunshine and still cold. That's the way I like it best," said the South Tyrolean.