Altenberg, Germany – The Latvian women’s doubles luge team of Marta Robežniece and Kitija Bogdanova clinched a bronze medal at the final World Cup event of the season in Altenberg, Germany, on Saturday. The result caps a strong season for the duo, although Mārtiņš Bots/Roberts Plūme finished sixth in the men’s doubles competition, narrowly ahead of teammates Eduards Ševics-Mikeļševics and Lūkass Krasts.
The competition in Altenberg marked the last chance for athletes to fine-tune their form before the upcoming Olympic Games in Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo. The World Cup season has been a proving ground for these athletes, and the results in Germany offered a glimpse of what might be expected on the Olympic stage.
(Updated after the women’s doubles competition) In the women’s doubles event, Austria’s Selina Egle and Lara Michaela Kipp took gold, also securing the overall season title. The Austrian team finished 0.151 seconds ahead of Germany’s Dajana Eitberger and Magdalena Mačina. Robežniece and Bogdanova were just 0.282 seconds off the pace of the winners, earning a well-deserved bronze medal.
Another Latvian team, Anda Upīte and Madara Pavlova, finished sixth in the women’s doubles competition, demonstrating the growing strength of Latvian luge.
Robežniece and Bogdanova posted the second-fastest time in the first run, setting themselves up for a strong finish. Upīte and Pavlova completed the top six out of nine teams after the initial run.
In the men’s doubles event, Austrians Thomas Steu and Wolfgang Kindl took the gold medal, finishing 0.383 seconds ahead of Bots and Plūme. Notably, the German team of Tobias Wendl and Tobias Arlt, who had already secured the overall World Cup title, did not participate in the final race.
Bots and Plūme started last in the first run and achieved the fifth-fastest time among the 15 competing teams. Ševics-Mikeļševics and Krasts finished within the top ten. Ševics-Mikeļševics and Krasts were 0.706 seconds behind the winning time after two runs, while Bots and Plūme were the seventh-fastest in the second run.
In the overall World Cup standings, Bots and Plūme finished fifth, while Ševics-Mikeļševics and Krasts dropped to seventh place. Robežniece and Bogdanova climbed to seventh in the women’s doubles standings, and Upīte and Pavlova concluded the season in fifth position.
The focus now shifts to the solo competitions for both men and women, with only the first run taking place on Saturday. The winners will be determined after the second run on Sunday, which will be followed by the team relay, bringing the World Cup season to a close.
In the women’s solo event’s first run, Latvia’s Kendija Aparjode set the fastest time, but her lead over Germany’s Merle Fräbel is a mere two-thousandths of a second. Julia Taubitz, the Olympic champion from the Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo Games, is third, 0.035 seconds behind Aparjode.
Zane Kaluma secured 16th place in the first run of the women’s solo event, surpassing one competitor. Elīna Ieva Bota, the Olympic silver medalist, is not participating in the final stages of the season due to academic commitments.
In the men’s solo event, Gints Bērziņš is currently in sixth place after the first run, followed by Kristers Aparjods in eighth and Kaspars Rinks in 13th. Germany’s Felix Loch leads the field, with Bērziņš trailing by 0.473 seconds.
The Latvian luge team has demonstrated consistent improvement throughout the season, and their performance in Altenberg provides a positive outlook as they prepare for the challenges of the Olympic Games. The bronze medal for Robežniece and Bogdanova is a testament to their dedication and skill, and their performance will undoubtedly inspire the entire Latvian team as they head to Italy.
The upcoming solo competitions and team relay promise to deliver more exciting action, and fans will be eager to spot how the Latvian athletes perform on the world stage. The World Cup season has provided valuable experience and insights, and the athletes are now ready to compete for Olympic glory.
The Olympic Games in Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo are scheduled to begin on February 6, 2026, and will feature a wide range of winter sports events. The luge competitions are expected to be among the most thrilling and competitive events of the Games, and Latvian athletes will be aiming to make their mark on the Olympic stage.
Next up, the second runs for the solo events and the team relay will determine the final standings of the World Cup season. Fans can follow the action live on the official Olympic website and through various sports broadcasters.
