Altenberg (pps) Germany’s Tatjana Huefner pulled off a brillant test for the upcoming Luge World Championships in Cesana, Italy, next weekend. At the seventh stop of the Viessmann Luge World Cup in Altenberg, the Olympic champion clocked a time of 1:45.626 min. and thus took first place ahead of team-mate Natalie Geisenberger (0.022 seconds behind). Geisenberger, on the other hand, provided an exclamation point prior to the Worlds – setting up start records in both runs, even taking the lead after the first run. But in the presence of former record-holder Sylke Otto (GER / 2002 and 2006 Olympic champion) it was Huefner who then improved the five-year old Altenberg track record by more than four tenths of a second to now 52.611 seconds.
Third place behind Huefner and Olympic bronze medallist Natalie Geisenberger went to 2007 World runner-up Anke Wischnewski (GER / 0.644 seconds behind).
Thanks to her sixth successive victory in now seven events, Tatjana Huefner (685 points) is on the brink of taking her fourth overall Viessmann Luge World Cup victory in a row. Natalie Geisenberger (560 points) holds second place ahead of Anke Wischnewski (485).
Quotes:
Tatjana Huefner (GER / 2010 Olympic as well as 2007 and 2008 World champion)
“First of all my compliments to those who have prepared the track here in Altenberg. The track is in a great condition. It’s something very special to have set the track record – everything has to work out perfectly. Now I’m quite confident facing the upcoming World Championships. But – we still have a lot of work to do and need to tinker a bit with the material.”
Natalie Geisenberger (2010 Olympic bronze medallist, 2008 European champion)
“Actually, I’ve had two good runs, even setting starting records in both of them. But when you then cross the finish line and you realise that’s still not enough for a first place... well, I think I’ve reason enough to be annoyed with a second place. For me, this competition in Altenberg has not been a test for the upcoming Worlds. The track in Cesana is completely different and I think that the weather conditions, too, will play a decisive role.”
Anke Wischnewski (GER / 2007 World runner-up)
“I think it was a good test run fort he upcoming Worlds, even though the gap to first and second place are still rather big. I’m not happy with my performance because I’ve made mistakes in both runs. But I have to pay a big compliment to those who have prepared the track – it’s in a great condition.”
