Koenigssee (pps) At the second stop of the Viessmann Luge World Cup series in Koenigssee, Natalie Geisenberger celebrated her first season’s victory. It is the 11th individual victory of her career. On the oldest artificially refrigerated track in the world the German luger, who collected a bronze medal at the 2010 Olympic Games and the 2012 World Championships, defeated teammate Tatjana Huefner, Olympic and four-time World champion as well as defending overall champion in the Viessmann Luge World Cup, with a winning margin of 0.031 seconds to second place. Geisenberger set up a track record in the first run (50.712 seconds), but Huefner then improved the record to 50.709 seconds in the second run.
>br> Canadian Alex Gough claimed third place (0.151 seconds behind) ahead of Germany’s Anke Wischnewski who won the season opener in Innsbruck-Igls last weekend. World junior champion Aileen Frisch (Germany) repeated her fifth place from Innsbruck. European champion Tatiana Ivanova of Russia finished in sixth position.
Quotes
Natalie Geisenberger (GER / bronze medalist at the 2010 Olympic Games and the 2012 World Championships)
>br>“We had to face difficult conditions today. First it was cold and very slippery and then in the second run we had snow. That’s why the sleds became sluggish. We changed the set-up of my sled ahead of the first run and it really paid off.”
>br> Tatjana Huefner (GER / Olympic and four-time World champion)
“Compared to the training runs I can improve my performance in the race. That’s what I demonstrated again today. We know what we’re doing – me and my coaches. It’s important to be at the top of the rankings at the important events in January and February.”
>br> Alex Gough (CAN / 2011 World bronze medalist)
“Again a third place. That’s not too bad.”
