From Winterleiten, AUT
(December 21, 2025) – One day after winning her first World Cup gold medal, and Austria’s first in women’s Alpine Luge since 2016, Riccarda Ruetz once again slid to gold in dominating fashion in Winterleiten.
As she had on Saturday, Ruetz set the quick start time in each heat, and was the quickest at nearly every point on her way to a .44 second victory over Nina Catiglioni, with Daniela Mittermair a distant third, over a second behind Ruetz and .83 behind Castiglioni.
“It was really great fun to race today,” Ruetz told FIL media after the race. “The track was in perfect condition and the equipment was extremely fast. After being ill several times recently, I hope to be in top physical shape again by the next race!”
Lisa Walch was fourth, just .03 away from her first medal of the season, with Saturday’s bronze medalist Jenny Castiglioni in fifth.
The top ten was filled with Austrian, Italian, and German sliders, with the United States’ Katie Cookman the top athlete from outside of those three countries in 11th.
Two races into the Alpine Luge World Cup 2025/2026 season, Ruetz and Nine Castiglioni sit first and second with a pair of gold and silver medals, respectively. Jenny Castiglioni is third with Lisa Walch and Nadine Staffler fourth and fifth.
Results:
| Pos | Name | Nation | Bib | Start 1 | Start 2 | Run 1 | Run 2 | Total |
| 1 | Riccarda Ruetz | AUT | 20 | 2.96 | 2.94 | 61.81 | 62.59 | 2:04.40 |
| 2 | Nina Castiglioni | ITA | 1 | 3.14 | 3.11 | 62.24 | 62.60 | 2:04.84 |
| 3 | Daniela Mittermair | ITA | 21 | 3.11 | 3.08 | 62.77 | 62.90 | 2:05.67 |
| 4 | Lisa Walch | GER | 18 | 3.15 | 3.15 | 62.63 | 63.07 | 2:05.70 |
| 5 | Jenny Castiglioni | ITA | 17 | 3.12 | 3.06 | 62.68 | 63.03 | 2:05.71 |
| 6 | Nadine Staffler | ITA | 19 | 3.07 | 3.09 | 62.77 | 63.63 | 2:06.40 |
| 7 | Hannah Nagele | AUT | 13 | 3.23 | 3.22 | 63.24 | 63.25 | 2:06.49 |
| 8 | Naomi Thöni | AUT | 16 | 3.16 | 3.11 | 62.87 | 63.69 | 2:06.56 |
| 9 | Alina Schaffenrath | AUT | 5 | 3.27 | 3.28 | 63.96 | 63.60 | 2:07.56 |
| 10 | Ruby Carla Holland-Moritz | GER | 8 | 3.14 | 3.16 | 65.16 | 65.14 | 2:10.30 |
| 11 | Katie Cookman | USA | 14 | 3.63 | 3.27 | 66.12 | 66.89 | 2:13.01 |
| 12 | Patricija Urbanc | CRO | 15 | 3.39 | 3.39 | 67.08 | 68.13 | 2:15.21 |
| 13 | Magdalena Enig | GER | 11 | 3.30 | 3.37 | 69.56 | 68.66 | 2:18.22 |
| 14 | Maja Poda | POL | 7 | 3.19 | 3.24 | 69.68 | 70.09 | 2:19.77 |
| 15 | Tereza Stehlikova | CZE | 2 | 3.67 | 3.72 | 76.03 | 75.19 | 2:31.22 |
| 16 | Lotte Mulser | ITA | 10 | 3.04 | 63.11 | |||
| 17 | Tina Stuffer | ITA | 12 | 3.10 | 63.24 | |||
| 18 | Emma Ruetz | AUT | 6 | 3.13 | 64.17 | |||
| 19 | Carina Miller | AUT | 9 | 3.09 | 64.19 |