Tatyana Ivanova wins at Olympic test; Natalie Geisenberger takes overall World Cup

PyeongChang (RWH): While two-time European Champion Tatyana Ivanova of Russia secured her second win of the season, the Olympic champion Natalie Geisenberger achieved her fifth overall win in the Viessmann World Cup. By finishing in second at the Olympic rehearsal in PyeongChang, the three-time World Champion increased her lead in the overall standings to 102 points, meaning that she cannot be caught at the season finale in Altenberg next weekend (25/26 February 2017).  At the Viessmann World Cup race on the future Olympic track, the World Champion Tatjana Hüfner finished in fourth behind Ivanova, Geisenberger and Julia Taubitz (GER), who finished third to celebrate the best result of her career.

 With her fifth ever win in the overall World Cup, Natalie Geisenberger has managed to match the success of record-breaking winners Silke Kraushaar-Pielach and Tatjana Hüfner, equalling their record of five overall wins each. Geisenberger, who missed out on a medal at the International Luge Federation’s (FIL) 2017 World Championships in Innsbruck, came second only to Russia’s Tatyana Ivanova in PyeongChang. After breaking Geisenberger’s track record of 49.795 with a time of 49.792 on her second run, Ivanova won her second race of the season after her success at the BMW Sprint World Cup in Sigulda.

 In the overall standings, Ivanova now has 623 points and is third behind Hüfner (780) and Geisenberger (882).

 Quotes

 Tatyana Ivanova (RUS / 2010 and 2012 European Champion, runner-up in the 2012 and 2015 World Championships, third in the 2016 World Championships):

 “I am delighted. Though the second run was not great, I managed to hit curve nine pretty well before making a tiny mistake on curve 15.”

 Natalie Geisenberger (GER / 2014 Olympic Champion, three-time World Champion and three-time European Champion):

 “I don’t really want to comment on the overall World Cup just yet until I know for definite. The race itself was a lot more important to me seeing as it was a dress rehearsal for the Olympics. Over the past two weeks, I have gotten to know the track a lot better. On my first run, my exit out of curve nine was clean as a whistle.”

 Julia Taubitz (GER / U23 World Champion in 2016  and Junior World Champion in 2016):

 “This is my first medal in the World Cup. Even though my second run wasn’t that good, it still feels amazing.”