Bērziņš and Aparjode take Latvian Cup titles in final home test for lugers

Gints Bērziņš and Kendija Aparjode won the singles titles as the Latvian Cup in luge ended on Thursday, 12 November. It was the last domestic competition before the World Cup season and gave the athletes a chance to test their summer work under race conditions.

Results

Bērziņš beat Kristers Aparjods by 0.195 seconds over two runs, with Kaspars Rinks third, 0.293 seconds behind the winner, Sportacentrs.com reported. Aparjods had missed last week’s President’s Cup start competition with a minor wrist injury. Jānis Gruzdulis-Borovojs was the only starter in the junior men’s group.

• Men: 1. Gints Bērziņš, 2. Kristers Aparjods (+0.195 sec), 3. Kaspars Rinks (+0.293 sec).
• Women: 1. Kendija Aparjode, 2. Zane Kaluma (+0.575 sec), 3. Margita Sirsniņa (+0.673 sec; best junior).
• Men’s doubles: 1. Mārtiņš Bots/Roberts Plūme, 2. Eduards Ševics-Mikeļševics/Lūkass Krasts (+0.115 sec), 3. juniors Edvards Marts Markitāns/Roberts Lazdāns (+2.31 sec).
• Women’s doubles: 1. Marta Robežniece/Kitija Bogdanova (1:25.635 over two runs).

What to expect this season

Aparjode told Sportacentrs.com before the season that she had seriously considered retiring after February’s Olympics, where she finished 16th after a poor first run. A bronze medal at the final World Cup race of last season in Altenberg gave her the motivation to carry on for one more season. She matched her personal bests on the start ramp this summer but said the new sleds required by the new technical rules felt slower in Sigulda.

With Elīna Ieva Bota having recently become a mother, Aparjode will be Latvia’s leading woman this season, which is also likely to mean more team relay races for her.

World Cup calendar

• 28–29 November — Winterberg (Germany)
• 12–13 December — Pyeongchang (South Korea)
• 19–20 December — Yanqing (China)
• 9–10 January — Sigulda
• 16–17 January — Altenberg (Germany)
• 23–24 January — Oberhof (Germany)
• 13–14 February — Cortina d’Ampezzo (Italy)
• 20–21 February — La Plagne (France)
• 6–7 March — Königssee (Germany)

The world championships will be held in Igls, Austria, from 5 to 7 February. Juniors start their World Cup season in mid-December in Lillehammer, Norway.