Luge in Altenberg

Fourth World Cup victory in a row for Egle and Kipp

Selina Egle and Lara Kipp raced to victory in Altenberg.

(Bild: GEPA/GEPA pictures)

Selina Egle and Lara Kipp are still unbeatable in the women's doubles luge. At the start of the World Cup in Altenberg on Saturday, the Austrian duo cruised to their fourth victory in the fifth race of the season. In the men's doubles, Yannick Müller/Armin Frauscher also made it onto the podium with third place, while Thomas Steu/Wolfgang Kindl finished fourth in the victory of Latvians Martins Bots and Roberts Plume.

Egle/Kipp won by a respectful margin ahead of the German local heroes Jessica Degenhardt/Cheyenne Rosenthal (+0.397 sec.) and the Americans Chevonne Forgan/Sophia Kirkby (+0.556). Four races before the end of the season, they are now 60 points ahead of Degenhardt/Rosenthal in the overall World Cup, while Forgan/Kirkby are 70 points behind. "It's crazy to have four wins in a row. It's an incredible feeling, we have great speed," said Egle. Egle/Kipp thus also managed a successful dress rehearsal for the next World Cup in Winterberg, which will also be held as the European Championships.

Men's single-seater not on the podium for the first time
The ÖRV athletes missed out on the podium in the men's singles for the first time this season. Overall World Cup leader Nico Gleirscher had to settle for fifth place after a serious mistake in the second run, while Olympic champion David Gleirscher finished eighth. Local hero Max Langenhan celebrated his second win of the season ahead of his compatriot Felix Loch and reduced his deficit to Nico Gleirscher in the rankings to 15 points.

Kindl crashed heavily at the end of the first run, but the 36-year-old Tyrolean escaped without serious injury. European Champion Jonas Müller had decided not to compete in Altenberg because he does not feel confident on the track. The 2023 World Champion would have arrived in third place in the World Cup, but the risk of injury was too high for the man from Vorarlberg ahead of the upcoming season highlights with the European Championships and World Championships. The 20-year-old Noah Kallan from Salzburg moved up and finished twelfth in his World Cup debut.

In the doubles Müller/Frauscher were 0.131 seconds behind the winning duo from Latvia. "We are very happy with third place, just like the previous week in Sigulda. We don't like the track here that much, but I guess that has changed now," said Müller. Steu/Kindl (+0.353) improved by six positions in the second run.