Eitberger Wins First Gold of the Season in Oberhof

December 13, 2020 ken Luge News, News 0

From Oberhof, GER

(Dec. 13, 2020) – Prior to the 2020/2021 season, Dajana Eitberger had said that it may take a bit of time for her to return to form after taking a season off for maternity leave after the birth of her son Levi.

L-R: Geisenberger, Eitberger, Aparjode (Courtesy FIL TV)

That bit of time was exactly four races. The 2018 Olympic silver medalist put together two quick and clean runs in Oberhof to win gold after coming into the second heat in second place, just behind Latvia’s Kendija Aparjode.

The gold medal for Eitberger is the seventh of her career.

Natalie Geisenberger, who also is back from a year of maternity leave, was the only slider within a tenth of a second of Eitberger to finish second. The silver medal for Geisenberger is the fourth of the season, and enough to keep her atop of the World Cup standings.

While Aparjode couldn’t hold onto the lead in the second heat, she did hang on for a bronze medal, the second singles medal of her career and first in a two-heat race. Her previous singles medal came in the Sprint World Cup race in Sigulda during the 2017/2018 season.

Madeleine Egle set a start record and track record on her second run, and that was enough to move up from fifth to fourth for her fourth straight top six finish.

Russia’s Tatyana Ivanova and Latvia’s Eliza Tiruma rounded out the top six.

Due to various COVID-19 restrictions, the United States, Canada, and China, all are sitting out the first portion of the season and should rejoin the tour after the holiday break.

Results:

Pos Name Nation Bib Start 1 Start 2 Run 1 Run 2 Total
1 Dajana Eitberger GER 18 6.850 6.897 41.672 41.666 1:23.338
2 Natalie Geisenberger GER 25 6.845 6.875 41.767 41.643 1:23.410
3 Kendija Aparjode LAT 20 6.853 6.895 41.667 41.840 1:23.507
4 Madeleine Egle AUT 23 6.836 6.812 41.912 41.602 1:23.514
5 Tatyana Ivanova RUS 28 6.863 6.843 41.937 41.740 1:23.677
6 Eliza Tiruma LAT 21 6.913 6.892 42.000 41.788 1:23.788
7 Viktoriia Demchenko RUS 22 6.926 5.898 41.974 41.831 1:23.805
7 Lisa Schulte AUT 19 6.886 6.901 41.997 41.808 1:23.805
9 Cheynne Rosenthal GER 17 6.889 6.890 41.821 41.993 1:23.814
10 Julia Taubitz GER 24 6.890 6.903 41.995 41.910 1:23.905
11 Andrea Vötter ITA 26 6.814 6.821 42.071 41.839 1:23.910
12 Hannah Prock AUT 16 6.939 6.951 41.981 41.942 1:23.923
13 Ulla Zirne LAT 15 6.977 6.990 42.152 41.891 1:24.043
14 Natalie Maag SUI 14 6.960 6.947 42.073 42.034 1:24.107
15 Verena Hofer ITA 13 6.944 6.936 42.159 41.962 1:24.121
16 Ekaterina Baturina RUS 12 6.922 6.917 42.151 42.995 1:24.146
17 Ekaterina Katnikova RUS 27 6.941 6.916 42.107 42.192 1:24.299
18 Sigita Berzina LAT 11 6.896 6.860 42.327 42.107 1:24.434
19 Aileen Frisch KOR 8 6.929 6.931 42.304 42.156 1:24.443
20 Klaudia Domaradzka POL 3 6.944 6.891 42.304 42.156 1:24.460
21 Katarina Simonakova SVK 7 6.967 6.976 42.307 42.171 1:24.478
22 Olena Stetskiv UKR 2 6.945 6.980 42.338 42.305 1:24.643
23 Marion Oberhofer ITA 6 6.984 6.979 42.523 42.171 1:24.694
24 Olena Smaha UKR 9 7.023 7.002 42.463 42.303 1:24.766
25 Veronica Ravenna ARG 5 7.097 7.052 42.554 42.244 1:24.798
26 Tove Kohala SWE 4 7.018 7.000 42.632 42.469 1:25.101
27 Nina Zöggeler ITA 10 6.935 6.941 42.165 43.057 1:25.222
28 Hyesun Jung KOR 1 7.025 7.039 43.945 43.419 1:27.364