Vitola, Berreiter each pick up 2 medals in World Cup luge

Max Langenhan of Germany hits the target during the team... — Max Langenhan of Germany hits the target during the team relay race of the Luge World Cup in Sigulda, Latvia, Sunday, Jan. 15, 2023. (AP Photo/Roman Koksarov) Credit: AP/Roman Koksarov

By The Associated PressJanuary 15, 2023

SIGULDA, Latvia — Elina Ieva Vitola of Latvia and Anna Berreiter of Germany each won a pair of medals on Sunday in World Cup luge races.

Vitola helped host Latvia win the team relay, and Berreiter won gold in the women’s singles race earlier in the day.

In the relay, Vitola, Kristers Aparjods and the doubles team of Martins Bots and Roberts Plume finished in 2 minutes, 13.143 seconds. Germany — with Berreiter, Max Langenhan and the doubles sled of Tobias Wendl and Tobias Arlt — was second in 2:13.510.

Italy, with Sandra Robatscher, Dominik Fischnaller and the doubles sled of Emanuel Rieder and Simon Kainzwaldner, was third in 2:13.917.

The U.S. relay team of Ashley Farquharson, Tucker West and the doubles sled of Zack DiGregorio and Sean Hollander did not finish after not properly setting off the trigger at the finish line during one part of the relay.

In the women’s race, Berreiter won in 1:24.600, just ahead of German teammate Dajana Eitberger (1:24.631). Vitola was third in 1:24.637.

Farquharson led the U.S. with a 13th-place showing in 1:25.120. Brittney Arndt was 17th in 1:25.315, Emily Sweeney was 25th in 1:26.286 and Summer Britcher did not finish after coming off her sled in the first run. Britcher was on a ninth-place pace when she lost control toward the bottom of the track.