Sigulda (pps). The winning streak of Germany’s women continued also at the finals to the VIESSMANN Luge World Cup 2006/2007 in Sigulda (Latvia).
With her seventh season’s victory, Silke Kraushaar-Pielach also defended the winning streak of now 73 World Cup races. At the luge track in Sigulda, the Olympic Champion of 1998, who was already certain as winner of the overall ranking of VIESSMANN Luge World Cup, won in an overall time of 1 minute 26,807 seconds and the small advantage of 0,064 seconds followed by the fourth of European Championships Natalia Yakushenko (UKR, 1 minute 26,871 seconds) on second rank. Third rank and with that her best result of the season went to Junior World Champion of 2002 Nina Reithmayer from Austria (1 minute 27,186 seconds).
After the race, Silke Kraushaar-Pielach also recieved the Cup for her fourth victory in overall World Cup after 1998/99, 2000/01 and 2005/06. The three times European Champion won the overall ranking of VIESSMANN Luge World Cup with 845 points followed by World Champion Tatjana Hüfner (GER, 685 points), who was fifth in Sigulda, and Vice World Champion Anke Wischnewski (GER, 604).
Best US-athlete at the World Cup finals in Sigulda was Ashley Hayden on eleventh rank. The vice World Champion with the team of 2005 is with sixth rank (361 points) also the best of the US-team in overall ranking of VIESSMANN Luge World Cup.

Quotes:

Silke Kraushaar (GER, Olympic Champion 1998, World Champion 2004, four times Overall World Cup Champion)
„If the victory in overall ranking is certain, the extreme feeling is gone and you are more relaxed. But the track in Sigulda is hard and you have to be awake all the time.
The younger athletes of our team were a bit behind after first run, so that I had to worry about the German winning streak. In the last part of the track, as nothing could happen any more, I considered if we would be able to hold the streak. I am very happy, that we managed this.“

Natalia Yakuschenko (UKR, Overall Champion Suzuki Challenge Cup 2005, fourth of European Championships 2006)
„I wanted to win here in Sigulda and wanted to snap the German winning streak. Therefore I am non satisfied with second rank.“

Nina Reithmayer (AUT, Junior World Champion 2002, Olympic-Eighth 2006)
„I am very satisfied, because I normally don’t like the track in Sigulda and I was very insecure in training. The better that it went so well in the race.”