SIGULDA, Latvia (AP) Natalie Geisenberger of Germany extended her four-year reign of women's luge with her second world title, besting Tatyana Ivanova of Russia for the gold on Saturday in women's singles at the Luge World Championships.
The reigning Olympic champion had a track record of 42.014 seconds on the first run despite warmer-than-usual conditions and finished the two runs in a combined 1 minute, 24.142 seconds. Ivanova, also runner-up to Geisenberger in this event three years ago, finished in 1:24.458, just 0.01 ahead of Germany's Tatjana Huefner.
Olympic bronze medalist Erin Hamlin of the United States, who won gold at the 2009 worlds in Lake Placid, was fourth, just 0.04 from the podium.
''I feel very good about the two runs,'' said Hamlin, of Remsen, New York. ''During training I always try to have something to work on. I had a lot to work on. Luckily, that came together.''
Summer Britcher, of Glen Rock, Pennsylvania, racing in her first worlds, rallied to ninth overall, but took a silver medal in the Under 23 World Championship. Julia Clukey, of Augusta, Maine was 17th, and Emily Sweeney, of Suffield, Connecticut 22nd.
Tobias Wendl and Tobias Arlt, the Sochi Olympic champions from Germany, won gold in doubles, besting Austrians Peter Penz and Georg Fischler. Italy's Christian Oberstolz and Patrick Gruber took the bronze.
Matt Mortensen of Huntington Station, New York, and Jayson Terdiman, of Berwick, Pennsylvania, were ninth in their first worlds together.
