INNSBRUCK, Austria (AP) — Natalie Geisenberger's quest for a seventh straight World Cup women's overall championship is off to a flying start.
The two-time defending Olympic luge champion led a German sweep of the top three spots in the World Cup opening race Saturday. She finished her two runs at the Igls-Innsbruck track in 1 minute, 19.619 seconds for her 44th World Cup victory, extending her record.
Julia Taubitz was second in 1:19.655, and Tatjana Huefner was third in 1:19.885. Russia's Tatyana Ivanova was fourth, Italy's Andrea Voetter got fifth and Summer Britcher was the top U.S. finisher in sixth.
Geisenberger is aiming to become the second slider ever to win seven straight World Cup luge overall titles. Austria's Markus Prock won the men's points race seven straight times from 1990-91 through 1996-97.
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