Women provide plenty of excitement – with Julia Taubitz as the winner

Whistler (FIL/07.02.2025) The women's race at the FIL Luge World Championships in Whistler provided plenty of excitement. The fact that Julia Taubitz won her second individual World Championship title in 1:17.206 minutes was not overly surprising. However, the 28-year-old German had to fight hard for it. At the finish she talked about her thoughts during the race: “During the run you always have feelings like: I knew it could be enough, but for the top spot? It was exciting and great.”

Emily Sweeney provided the necessary excitement. The US luger was the fastest in the first run in 38.594 seconds. Seven thousandths of a second faster than Taubitz. But the 31-year-old lost this lead by only achieving the fifth fastest time in the second run. Sweeney was not disappointed by this: “Even though I was the fastest through the light barrier in the first run, I'm incredibly happy that I won a medal.” In the end she was 0.043 seconds slower than Taubitz. Merle Fräbel was also two thousandths of a second faster. The 21-year-old German joked: “I have to work on my performance on the track for the Olympic Games next year.” She then added: “Otherwise, I can only say that I am very happy about my silver medal and my U23 title. This is amazing.”

Emotion was also in abundance at the Whistler Sliding Center as Embyr-Lee Susko took the crowd's hearts by storm with her much-celebrated fourth place (0.081 seconds back). “It was incredible, I saw my parents and felt like the whole of Canada was behind me,” she said at the finish. “Keeping my nerves under control was quite a challenge. But I did it and I managed two great runs.” Switzerland's Natalie Maag (0.143) came in fifth, ahead of Ashley Farquarson (USA/0.147). The Austrian Madeleine Egle, who is dominating the World Cup, did not really get along with the fast ice channel and came in seventh (0.194). Her compatriot and defending champion Lisa Schulte fared even worse. She was only twelfth, 0.379 seconds behind.