OBERHOF, Germany — In a thrilling display of athleticism at Saturday’s World Cup women’s doubles luge race, the American duo of Chevonne Forgan and Sophie Kirkby captured the bronze medal, marking their second podium finish in just three races this season.
The victory went to Austria’s Selina Egle and Lara Kipp, while the German team consisting of Jessica Degenhardt and Cheyenne Rosenthal secured second place, marking their third consecutive second-place finish. Forgan and Kirkby clinched third after a late misstep by the German sled piloted by Dajana Eitberger and Magdalena Matschina, who lost momentum in the final meters of their second run.
“We’re so happy to get back on the podium,” Forgan expressed following the race. “I’m really pleased with how my two runs went today.” Currently, Forgan and Kirkby hold the third position in the women’s doubles World Cup standings, a significant improvement over their sixth and seventh-place finishes at the historic Oberhof track last season.
Kirkby noted the favorable conditions, stating, “I thought the conditions were way better than last year. It was a great turnout, and the weather here in Oberhof was lovely for a World Cup.”
In related events, the USA Luge team showcased strong performances in the women’s singles race, as Ashley Farquharson achieved her best result of the season by finishing fifth. The race was won by Austria’s Madeleine Egle, with her teammate Lisa Schulte taking second place and Germany’s Julia Taubitz rounding out the podium in third.
Meanwhile, Emily Sweeney from the U.S. opted out of competition due to neck discomfort, an issue she has faced intermittently since sustaining a neck injury during a crash at the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics.
In the men’s doubles race, Germany excelled with Hannes Orlamuender and Paul Gubitz claiming gold, while teammates Tobias Wendl and Tobias Arlt secured silver. The bronze medal went to Austria’s Thomas Steu and Wolfgang Kindl. The top-performing U.S. men’s sled, piloted by Marcus Mueller and Ansel Haugsjaa, finished ninth in the doubles race.
Unfortunately, the American men’s doubles team of Dana Kellogg and Frank Ike did not compete due to Kellogg’s upcoming surgery on Monday to repair a dislocated shoulder sustained during a World Cup race in Igls, Austria, the previous weekend.
In bobsled action, Germany dominated the World Cup races in Sigulda, Latvia, taking four out of a possible six medals. In the women’s monobob event, Lisa Buckwitz edged out fellow German Laura Nolte for first place, while Australia’s Breeana Walker claimed third. Kaysha Love led the U.S. contingent by finishing sixth.
In the two-man bobsled race, Francesco Friedrich and Simon Wulff secured another victory, with Johannes Lochner and Georg Fleischhauer coming in second. Austria’s Markus Treichl and Sascha Stepan earned bronze, finishing just behind Friedrich’s sled. The U.S. team of Frank del Duca and Carsten Vissering took 11th place.
Looking ahead, the luge competition will feature the men’s singles and team relay races in Oberhof, Germany, on Sunday, while the bobsled event will include two-man and two-woman races in Sigulda, Latvia, the same day. The skeleton World Cup is set to take place in Winterberg, Germany, on January 3.