Winterberg (pps) Hattrick for the World Champion: At the Viessmann Luge World Cup in Winterberg, Germany, Natalie Geisenberger of Germany claimed her third victory in the third race this season. She now has 19 individual Viessmann Luge World Cup wins to her credit. In Winterberg Geisenberger - who claimed the gold medal at the World and European Championships and took the overall World Cup title in the pre-Olympic season - defeated Olympic Champion Tatjana Huefner (Germany) to second place. Earning her second podium finish this season, four-time World Champion Huefner thus confirmed her claim to compete in the Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia (February 7-23, 2014). Anke Wischnewski of Germany posted a third place result in Winterberg.

Canadian slider Alex Gough finished in fourth position, followed by Tatjana Ivanova of Russia and Erin Hamlin (USA) on fifth and sixth place respectively.

Geisenberger is currently leading the overall Viessmann Luge World Cup rankings with 300 points to her credit, ahead of Huefner (200) and Wischnewski (186).

Quotes

Natalie Geisenberger (GER / 2013 World Champion, 2010 Olympic bronze medalist, 2012 World bronze medalist, 2008 and 2013 European Champion)

“Even though everybody is now calling me the absolute top favorite at the Olympic Games I won’t put pressure on myself. However, to be honest, having earned the victory here with such a big advantage is a bit surprising.”

Tatjana Huefner (GER / 2010 Olympic Champion, 2006 Olympic bronze medalist, four-time World Champion)

“I’m happy with my overall performance even though I didn’t master the labyrinth perfectly in the second run – but I’m working on it. Right now I feel good and have no pains at all.”

Anke Wischnewski (GER / 2007 World bronze medalist, fifth place at the 2010 Olympic Games)

“I botched the first run, the second was ok. My aim is to compete in the Olympic Games. And then, being in Russia, I want to claim a medal.”