Ongoin “inner-German” duel between Huefner and Geisenberger
Innsbruck-Igls (pps) Since 2005 Tatjana Huefner has collected a total of 21 individual Viessmann Luge World Cup victories and there are another three successive overall World Cup wins to her credit. An end of this success story is not really on the horizon. At best Natalie Geisenberger, strongest opponent in her own team, might be able to hold a candle to Huefner. So far, the Olympic bronze medallist and 2008 European champion captured six victories in the Viessmann Luge World Cup series. And lately, at the national German championships, Geisenberger snatched the title away from her long-term rival. Geisenberger: “I’m in good shape – the season can start”.
There are some, however, who hope to upset a bit the ongoing duel between Germany’s women’s lugers: European champion Tatiana Ivanova of Russia, Austria’s Olympic silver medallist Nina Reithmayer and defending World champion Erin Hamlin (USA). Additionally, there is 23-year old Alex Gough of Canada, 2009 World Championship fourth-placed, who was not able to live up to expectations after the women’s start at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games had been moved further down. European bronze medallist Veronika Halder of Austria is also entertaining hopes of making the podium in the women’s singles – just as the two Germans Anke Wischnewski (fifth at the Olympic Games) and Corinna Martini (European silver medallist), who had to withdraw from the event in Innsbruck-Igls due to injury.
Among the international top women’s lugers, only Courtney Zablocki (USA), 2006 Olympic fourth-placed in Torino, and Canada’s Regan Lauscher have ended their active careers. The 30-year old from Calgary celebrated the so far best World Cup result of all times for Canada, finishing runner-up at the 2004-2005 Viessmann Luge World Cup in Lake Placid.
