Julia Taubitz of Germany had the fastest time in both heats Sunday and won a women’s World Cup luge race, moving into a virtual tie with Russia’s Tatyana Ivanova for the seasonlong points lead.
Taubitz finished in 1 minute, 44.264 seconds. Ivanova was second in 1:44.436. She has 482 standings points at the season’s midway mark, two more than Taubitz with six races remaining.
Italy’s Andrea Voetter was third in 1:44.647.
Third placed Andrea Voetter from Italy celebrates as she crosses the finish line of the women's single luge second heat race at the Luge World Cup in Altenberg, Germany, Sunday, Jan. 12, 2020. (Matthias Rietscheldpa via AP)
Summer Britcher was the top American finisher Sunday, placing eighth. Ashley Farquharson was 23rd for the U.S. Emily Sweeney chose not to compete in her second run, and fell one spot to fourth behind Russia’s Viktoriia Demchenko in the season points standings.
Russia won the team relay later Sunday, ahead of Germany and Austria. The U.S. was sixth.
The World Cup season continues next weekend in Lillehammer, Norway.