Gough gets on the podium at first luge World Cup of season
The first World Cup luge race of the 2015-16 season saw a Canadian on the podium, and it is no other than the sport’s biggest name in the country, Alex Gough.
The three-time Olympian clocked a two-run total time of one minute and 20.017 seconds to win her 21st career podium spot at an International Luge Federation (FIL) World Cup.
A pair of Germans, Dajana Eitberger (1:19.795) and Natalie Geisenberger (1:20.009) took the top two places in the women’s race on Saturday in the Igls, Austria sliding venue of the Innsbruck 1976 Olympic Winter Games.
Alex Gough (right) stands on the bronze position of the podium in Igls, Austria near Innsbruck, at the FIL Luge World Cup on November 28, 2015.
Gough had some trouble well outside of her control, where a snowfall prior to her first run slowed the track and helped drop her to fifth place. She was the second last slider to start the women’s competition.
“There is nothing you can do with the weather so the key was to just keep focused,” Gough said through a Canadian Luge Association release. “I just wanted to let the sled go, and I was able to climb up a bit on that second run.”
Gough’s was the second fastest time clocked on a cleaner track on the final run, elevating her from fifth to third.
