Huefner finishes off luge title, Hamlin gets 3rd

CESANA, Italy (AP)—Germany’s Natalie Geisenberger won the women’s luge World Cup finale on the 2006 Olympic track on Sunday, while Erin Hamlin of Remsen, N.Y., finished third for her third bronze medal of the season.

Another German, Olympic favorite Tatjana Huefner, finished second to wrap up her third World Cup overall title.

Geisenberger set a track record with an opening run of 46.817 seconds, then followed that up with a run of 46.994 for a total of 1:33.811. Huefner was 0.062 seconds back, while Hamlin finished 0.114 seconds off the gold-medal pace.

Megan Sweeney of Suffield, Conn. was eighth and Julia Clukey of Augusta, Maine was 17th. They’ll join Hamlin on the USA Luge roster for the Vancouver Games.

Canada’s Alex Gough, who’ll be racing on home ice at the Vancouver Games, was a career-best fourth on Sunday.

Hamlin was second after the opening run, actually holding the lead much of the way down the track in the opening heat before Geisenberger made up a bit of time in the final curves.

Huefner managed to overtake Hamlin on the second run, but the reigning world champion had no complaints.

“The runs today were solid,” Hamlin said. “I made no major mistakes, just a little skid at the top of the first run. We had two good weeks of training here and that helped.”

Now, it’s back home for the U.S. luge team and more training before heading to Vancouver. American sliders will arrive in Park City, Utah for a weeklong camp starting Monday.

“I want to relax and get ready for the Games,” Hamlin said.

Hamlin finished fourth in the World Cup standings behind Huefner, Geisenberger and a third German, Anke Wischnewski . Clukey was 13th for the season and Sweeney 14th.