Best supporting actress becomes leading character
Geisenberger: Four World Championship medals without golden sheen
Whistler (pps) The casting in the women’s singles on the international luge circuit has taken quite a turn in the pre-Olympic winter: In the run-up to the 44th World Championships of the International Luge Federation (FIL) in Whistler (Canada) on February 1-2, 2013, Germany’s Natalie Geisenberger (photo) - who has been a kind of “best supporting actress” in the past years, always living in the shadow of protagonist and teammate Tatjana Huefner, has turned into the leading character.
“I’ve become stronger mentally and I’m greatly enjoying myself. Sometimes I can’t even suppress a large grin when I’m racing,” explained the 24-year old in her change from being the hunter to the hunted. Added to that, Geisenberger is clearly in the No. 1 spot of the overall Viessmann Luge World Cup rankings thanks to five season victories. She also claimed her second European Championship title after 2008. Though Geisenberger, who will celebrate her 25th birthday on February 5, 2013, already collected four World Championship medals (silver in 2008, 2009 and 2011 as well as bronze in 2012), the golden sheen is still missing from her collection.
On the other hand, Huefner’s World Championship medals all have a golden sheen. One year prior to the Olympic Winter Games in Sochi (Russia) on February 7-23, 2014, the Olympic and four-time World Champion (2007, 2008, 2011 and 2012) suffered from back problems. This is why the 29-year old did not compete in the Viessmann Luge World Cup in Koenigssee, Germany at the beginning of the year. At her “return” to the luge circuit on her home track in Oberhof, Germany Huefner claimed a second place and third place in Winterberg, Germany.
“Of course it took a load off my mind. It was my second race this season,” said Huefner. Geisenberger, who won the bronze medal at the 2010 Olympic Games, commented on the return of her long-time rival: “Competing against Tatjana, I was able to show that my results haven’t been an accident.”
Further medal contenders at the upcoming Worlds are Russia’s Tatiana Ivanova, who failed to earn an Olympic medal by just eight hundredths of a second and eventually had to settle for fourth place. Of course there is also Alex Gough, the greatest hope of host Canada, and Austria’s Nina Reithmayer, who surprisingly won a silver medal three years ago at Whistler, seems to be on an upward swing this winter. “Whistler is one of my favorite tracks,” Reithmayer said.
The U.S. team will pin its hope on Erin Hamlin, the surprise 2009 World Champion in Lake Placid, and on Julia Clukey, who is in good shape again after her injuries. Germany’s Anke Wischnewski, fifth in the 2010 Olympics, and Aileen Frisch, might have outside chances. The Worlds on the 2010 Olympic track, however, will be a learning experience for the 20-year old talent Frisch, the 2012 World and European as well as overall World Cup Champion on the junior circuit.
