Eitberger, Latvia win luge golds; US gets silver in doubles
January 7, 2023 GMTSIGULDA, Latvia (AP) — Dajana Eitberger of Germany won the women’s luge World Cup race Saturday, and host Latvia swept the gold medals in the men’s and women’s doubles races.
Eitberger got her second win of the season, in 1 minute, 22.999 seconds, about a hundredth of a second better than Latvia’s Elina Ieva Vitola (1:23.093).
Italians win World Cup women’s luge race
December 17, 2022 GMTPARK CITY, Utah (AP) — Andrea Vötter and Marion Oberhofer of Italy got their second consecutive women’s doubles luge win Friday and moved atop the season-long points standings.
Germany’s Jessica Degenhardt and Cheyenne Rosenthal were second, while Canada’s Caitlin Nash and Natalie Corless placed third.
Austria finishes 8-win luge weekend, Sweeney wins 2nd silver
December 4, 2022 GMTIGLS, Austria (AP) — The opening weekend of the World Cup luge season was perfect for Austria.
Austria sweeps World Cup luge races, Sweeney wins silver
December 3, 2022 GMTIGLS, Austria (AP) — Madeleine Egle won a women’s luge World Cup race Saturday to lead the Austrians' dominant season-opening showing on home ice, while Emily Sweeney of the U.S. finished second in the women’s race to match her best finish on the circuit in five years.
Britcher, Sweeney giving women’s doubles luge a try for US
November 23, 2022 GMTSummer Britcher and Emily Sweeney have been USA Luge teammates for years. They’ve traveled together, they’ve competed together, they’ve gone to the Olympics together, they’ve stood on World Cup podiums together.
Minnesota man pleads guilty to threatening US senator
November 2, 2022 GMTMINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A Minnesota man has pleaded guilty to threatening a U.S. senator, according to federal prosecutors.
Brendon Daugherty, 35, of Coon Rapids, entered the plea to one count of interstate transmission of a threat during a hearing in U.S.
Minnesota governor pushes back against food fraud criticism
September 22, 2022 GMTST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Democratic Gov. Tim Walz pushed back Thursday against critics who say his administration should have done more to thwart what federal prosecutors have called a scheme to take advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic to defraud the U.S.
EXPLAINER: How alleged plot exploited pandemic to net $250M
September 21, 2022 GMTMINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Department of Justice has charged 48 people in Minnesota in what prosecutors have called a $250 million scheme to defraud a federal meals program.
US: 48 exploited pandemic to steal $250M from food program
September 21, 2022 GMTMINNEAPOLIS (AP) — United States authorities charged 48 people in Minnesota with conspiracy and other counts in what they said Tuesday was the largest pandemic-related fraud scheme yet, stealing $250 million from a federal program that provides meals to low-income children.
St. Paul man sentenced to 43 years in large sextortion case
September 14, 2022 GMTST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — A St. Paul man was sentenced Wednesday to 43 years in prison for running an online pornography scheme that victimized more than 1,000 girls across the United States.
Yue Vang, 31, created fake female profiles online to entice girls to create sexually explicit video images and send them to him, according to prosecutors.
World Cups runneth over: Soccer slates cancel a luge weekend
August 1, 2022 GMTIGLS, Austria (AP) — Soccer’s World Cup forced the cancellation of a luge World Cup.
The International Luge Federation said Monday that what was scheduled as the opening weekend of its World Cup season — Nov.
USA Luge doubles slider Jayson Terdiman retires, will coach
July 28, 2022 GMTJayson Terdiman is done with sliding. He’s not done with luge.
The two-time Olympian has been hired as a junior national team coach, USA Luge announced Thursday, while also making his retirement from competitive racing official.
Olympic luge champ Natalie Geisenberger expecting 2nd baby
July 4, 2022 GMTGerman slider Natalie Geisenberger, who has won the last three Olympic women's luge gold medals and is considered by many to be the most dominant athlete in her sport's history, is pregnant with her second child.
2 face federal counts in plot to carjack Uber, Lyft drivers
June 9, 2022 GMTMINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Two men have been charged in an alleged conspiracy to violently rob and carjack Uber and Lyft drivers in the Twin Cities metro area, the U.S. Attorney's Office announced.
An 18-year-old Brooklyn Park man and a 20-year-old Minneapolis man were named Wednesday in a 20-count federal indictment that charges them with conspiracy, brandishing firearms, aiding and abetting carjacking and other crimes.
Park City, Whistler return to World Cup luge schedule
May 23, 2022 GMTLAKE PLACID, N.Y. (AP) — Luge’s governing body said it plans on bringing races back to North America for the first time in nearly three years, with stops planned for Park City, Utah, and Whistler, Canada.
Bobsled, skeleton World Cups returning to North America
May 19, 2022 GMTBobsled and skeleton World Cup races will return to North America this fall for the first time since before the pandemic, finally giving U.S. and Canadian athletes a chance to compete on home ice again.
Olympic luge champion Johannes Ludwig of Germany retires
May 17, 2022 GMTOBERHOF, Germany (AP) — Olympic champion Johannes Ludwig had the best luge season of his life, then decided that would be the perfect way to end his career.
US attorney orders entire staff to work on violent crime
May 3, 2022 GMTMINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota’s top federal attorney says he’s ordering his entire staff to work on violent crime cases.
The Minneapolis Star Tribune reported that U.S.
A luge stunner: Hackl leaves Germany for Austrian team
April 21, 2022 GMTThree-time Olympic champion Georg Hackl has left the German luge program for a job with rival Austria, announcing Thursday he has agreed to a four-year contract that runs through the 2026 Olympics.
World luge seeks new way to isolate Russia in the sport
April 11, 2022 GMTBERCHTESGADEN, Germany (AP) — The governing body of luge wants to change its legal rules to find a new way of isolating Russia in the sport because of the war on Ukraine, it said Monday.
USA Bobsled coach Mike Kohn resigns, citing family reasons
April 8, 2022 GMTUSA Bobsled coach Mike Kohn has stepped down after four seasons, though he may remain with the national team in a different capacity.
Kohn, an Olympic medalist in bobsled at the 2002 Salt Lake City Games, said Friday that he made the decision to leave the coaching role because of a desire to spend more time with his family.
Fegg resigns as coach of USA Luge national team
March 24, 2022 GMTLAKE PLACID, N.Y. (AP) — USA Luge coach Robert Fegg has resigned after two seasons with the national team, which failed to medal at the Beijing Olympics last month.
Fegg spent four years with USA Luge in all, the first two of those years with the junior national team.
Historic sweep for Germany, taking 3 medals in Olympic 2-man
February 15, 2022 GMTBEIJING (AP) — Eins, zwei, drei. In German, that means one, two, three.
And for the German bobsled team, it also means history.
Germany — unquestionably the world’s sliding superpower — became the first nation to sweep the medals in an Olympic bobsled race on Tuesday, grabbing gold, silver and bronze in the two-man event at the Beijing Games.
Narracott on cusp of Australia’s 1st Olympic sliding medal
February 11, 2022 GMTBEIJING (AP) — The last time Australia won an Olympic medal in a sliding sport? That would be never.
Never even been close, with the country’s best result in any bobsled, skeleton or luge race being a 10th-place showing in 2010.
Germany wins Olympic relay, sweeps luge gold medals
February 10, 2022 GMTBEIJING (AP) — Germany 4, Rest of World 0.
The Beijing Olympics were a luge runaway for the world’s sliding superpower, which won gold in men’s, women’s and doubles events — then put those champions in Thursday’s team relay and watched them end the season with one more victory.
Minority leader opposes US attorney nominee for Minnesota
February 10, 2022 GMTMINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Opposition from the Senate's top Republican to President Joe Biden's nominee for Minnesota's next U.S. attorney complicates his path to swift confirmation.
Roundup of Olympic gold medals from Thursday, Feb. 10
February 10, 2022 GMTBEIJING (AP) — A roundup of gold medals from Thursday, Feb. 10, at the Beijing Games:
Olympics Live: Germany sweeps luge golds with team relay
February 10, 2022 GMTBEIJING (AP) — The Latest on the Beijing Winter Olympics:
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Germany has swept the gold medals in luge’s four events at the Beijing Games.
Olympics Live: Iran skier 1st confirmed doping case of Games
February 9, 2022 GMTBEIJING (AP) — The Latest on the Beijing Winter Olympics:
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Iran’s only male athlete at the Beijing Olympics has tested positive for an anabolic steroid in the first confirmed doping case at the Games.
In Olympic doubles luge, Germany reigns supreme once again
February 9, 2022 GMTBEIJING (AP) — Another day, another German Olympic luge threepeat. The best sliding nation in the world is leaving absolutely no doubt at the Beijing Games.
Tobias Wendl and Tobias Arlt won the doubles title at the Olympics on Wednesday, their third consecutive gold medal in the event.
Jacobellis finally wins Olympic gold medal, 1st for US
February 9, 2022 GMTBEIJING (AP) — Lindsey Jacobellis is finally an Olympic gold medalist.
Let that sink in for a moment because Jacobellis has been trying for 16 years.
Jacobellis helped make the wild sport of snowboardcross famous.
Germany’s Natalie Geisenberger wins 3rd Olympic luge title
February 8, 2022 GMTBEIJING (AP) — The greatest of all time.
The GOAT, as the acronym goes.
In most sports, such a title is the source of great debate. Not women’s luge. Definitely not after Tuesday night, when Natalie Geisenberger of Germany became the first to win the Olympic women’s competition three times to cement her place in history as the sport’s best.
For Sweeney and Britcher, decisions on luge future await
February 8, 2022 GMTBEIJING (AP) — Summer Britcher and Emily Sweeney have won World Cup races. They’ve each medaled at the world championships. They’ve each won national championships.
Their careers have already been, by any measure, a success.
USA Luge’s men’s program looks to the future after Beijing
February 7, 2022 GMTBEIJING (AP) — USA Luge’s Chris Mazdzer had X-rays on his aching right foot a few days ago, and the results were as expected. It’s still broken.
With that, it became official: The U.S. men’s luge team was never fully healthy at any point this season.
Shiffrin’s next chance, halfpipe qualifying highlight Day 4
February 7, 2022 GMTBEIJING (AP) — Mikaela Shiffrin will have to rebound quickly. Her next chance at a medal is the slalom, but that's a top event for rival Petra Vlhova.
Geisenberger, once again, leads Olympic women’s luge event
February 7, 2022 GMTBEIJING (AP) — Natalie Geisenberger has been here twice before, holding the lead midway through the Olympic women’s luge race.
The doctor is in (the Olympics): Desmond makes Irish history
February 7, 2022 GMTBEIJING (AP) — Elsa Desmond knows she’s not going to medal at the Beijing Olympics. She wasn't even expecting to be in the top half of the field.
Doesn’t matter.
The first women’s luge Olympian from Ireland feels like she's already prevailed.
Bubble life: China takes COVID sports routine to new extreme
February 7, 2022 GMTBEIJING (AP) — Officially, the Beijing Olympics are taking place inside what organizers are calling “the enclosed compound activity area.”
Olympics Live: US diplomat says human rights should be focus
February 6, 2022 GMTBEIJING (AP) — The Latest on the Beijing Winter Olympics:
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The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations says China’s selection of a Uyghur athlete to help deliver the Olympic flame in Beijing was an attempt by Chinese officials to “distract” from global attention on its human rights violations.
Luge’s new king: Germany’s Johannes Ludwig wins Olympic gold
February 6, 2022 GMTBEIJING (AP) — Johannes Ludwig let all his rivals know back in November that he would be the one to beat at the Beijing Olympics.
He was right.
Ludwig is the Olympic men’s champion for the first time, making him the oldest — he’s eight days shy of turning 36 — to win that race’s gold medal.
Roundup of Olympic gold medals from Sunday, Feb. 6
February 6, 2022 GMTBEIJING (AP) — A roundup of gold medals from Sunday, Feb. 6, at the Beijing Games:
After the crash, Emily Sweeney back on luge’s Olympic stage
February 6, 2022 GMTBEIJING (AP) — It has come up in conversations for four years. The Crash. USA Luge’s Emily Sweeney has had hundreds of them in her sliding career, yet there’s only one that people want to talk about.
Germany’s Ludwig has lead midway through men’s Olympic luge
February 5, 2022 GMTBEIJING (AP) — Germany’s Johannes Ludwig, Austria’s Wolfgang Kindl or Italy’s Dominik Fischnaller will more than likely be the Olympic men’s luge champion on Sunday.
Earplugs may help USA Luge’s Summer Britcher at the Olympics
February 5, 2022 GMTBEIJING (AP) — Earplugs may be USA Luge veteran Summer Britcher’s secret weapon at the Beijing Olympics.
That has nothing to do with noise.
The start to a luge race is critical: Sliders, wearing gloves with tiny spikes on the bottom of their fingertips, dig into the ice as they paddle at the start and look to build every bit of momentum possible to start propelling them down the track.
‘Nothing is impossible’: Injured Polish luger makes Olympics
February 4, 2022 GMTBEIJING (AP) — Polish luge athlete Mateusz Sochowicz went back to the Peking University hospital this week, entering the facility for the second time this season.
The first trip was so doctors could tend to his badly injured legs.
USA Luge’s cool uncle: Chris Mazdzer ready for 4th Olympics
February 2, 2022 GMTBEIJING (AP) — Chris Mazdzer tends to be the guy with just about all the answers for USA Luge.
He always finds the quickest path to get where food is being served. He knows how to handle logistical issues.
For Nodar: Georgian luge family makes a return to Olympics
January 26, 2022 GMTLuge is Saba Kumaritashvili’s family business. His great-grandfather is credited with bringing the sport to their homeland, the former Soviet republic of Georgia, more than a half-century ago. His father runs the national federation, as his relatives have for decades.
Geisenberger gets 52nd career win in luge season finale
January 23, 2022 GMTST. MORITZ, Switzerland (AP) — Germany’s Natalie Geisenberger is a World Cup winner once again, just in time for the Olympics.
Geisenberger got her first win of the season and 52nd singles victory of her career on Sunday, holding off Madeleine Egle of Austria and Elina Vitola of Latvia in the final women’s race on the World Cup schedule.
Eggert, Benecken win 6th World Cup luge doubles championship
January 22, 2022 GMTST. MORITZ, Switzerland (AP) — Toni Eggert and Sascha Benecken are World Cup overall champions for the sixth time, getting that title back just in time for the Olympics.
Eggert and Benecken won the season’s World Cup doubles finale Saturday, a win that was good enough to vault them into the top spot in the season-ending standings.
Injured Polish luge athlete picked for Beijing Olympics
January 19, 2022 GMTA Polish luge athlete who was seriously injured in a November training crash at the track built for next month’s Olympics plans to head back to that venue and compete in the Beijing Games.
Mateusz Sochowicz was confirmed to be part of Poland’s four-person Olympic luge team, the International Luge Federation said Wednesday.
German luge star Geisenberger says she’s going to Olympics
January 17, 2022 GMTNatalie Geisenberger has made it official: She’s heading to the Beijing Games and seeking a third consecutive Olympic women’s luge gold medal.
The German slider, generally considered the best in the history of her sport, had considered skipping the Olympics for a multitude of reasons — including human rights issues, and her belief that luge athletes were not treated well by Chinese officials when training there earlier this season.
Egle gets win at Oberhof, Germany takes luge relay
January 16, 2022 GMTOBERHOF, Germany (AP) — Madeleine Egle of Austria was the winner of a World Cup women’s luge race on Sunday, her series-best fifth victory of the season.
Germany got the next four spots, with Julia Taubitz second, Anna Berreiter third, Natalie Geisenberger fourth and Cheyenne Rosenthal fifth.
Ludwig wins World Cup luge race, clinches season title
January 15, 2022 GMTOBERHOF, Germany (AP) — Johannes Ludwig of Germany clinched his first World Cup men’s overall season championship Saturday, becoming the fourth different slider to win the crown in the last four seasons.
Sacrifice: Terdiman gives US Olympic doubles luge team sled
January 13, 2022 GMTJayson Terdiman didn’t make it to the Beijing Olympics.
His sled did.
A week ago, Terdiman’s hopes of making what would have been his third and final U.S. Olympic team in doubles luge ended in an instant; a crash during a World Cup qualifying race in Sigulda, Latvia ended any chance he and Chris Mazdzer had of making the Beijing Games.
Luge preview: A long, winding road took US to Beijing Games
January 13, 2022 GMTEmily Sweeney is headed to the Olympics to represent USA Luge for a second time, and her plans for the next couple weeks are largely the same as the final preparations were for her debut at the Pyeongchang Games four years ago.
Chris Mazdzer nominated for 4th US Olympic luge team
January 10, 2022 GMTChris Mazdzer was wrong. He’s headed to the Olympics.
The 2018 silver medalist, who originally thought a 25th-place finish in a World Cup luge race this past weekend had doomed his chances of making the Beijing Games, was nominated by USA Luge on Monday for what will be his fourth Olympic team.
Egle, Ivanova each grab two more World Cup luge medals
January 9, 2022 GMTSIGULDA, Latvia (AP) — Austria’s Madeleine Egle and Russia’s Tatyana Ivanova both picked up a pair of World Cup medals Sunday, each winning a gold and a bronze.
Egle won the women’s race and then was third in the women’s sprint.
Di Gregorio-Hollander sled makes Olympics, Mazdzer waiting
January 8, 2022 GMTZack Di Gregorio and Sean Hollander are leaving the World Cup luge circuit in a hurry.
They've got something bigger on their minds.
Di Gregorio and Hollander wrapped up their spot as the doubles sled that USA Luge will send to the Beijing Olympics on Saturday.
Mazdzer-Terdiman sled crashes, Olympic luge hopes slip away
January 7, 2022 GMTOlympic veterans Chris Mazdzer and Jayson Terdiman crashed out of a World Cup qualifying race on Friday, ending their hopes of being the doubles sled that represents USA Luge at next month’s Beijing Games.
Latvia, Germany win World Cup luge golds; US grabs a bronze
January 2, 2022 GMTWINTERBERG, Germany (AP) — Latvia won gold in a World Cup luge team relay on Sunday, with Austria second and the U.S. grabbing third.
The Latvian team of Eliza Tiruma, Kristers Aparjods and the doubles sled of Marlins Bots and Roberts Plume finished in 2 minutes, 24.294 seconds.
Ludwig wins World Cup luge race, pads season points lead
January 1, 2022 GMTWINTERBERG, Germany (AP) — Johannes Ludwig of Germany won his fourth race of the season on Saturday and further padded his lead in the World Cup overall standings.
Ludwig finished his two runs in 1 minute, 44.679 seconds, posting the third-fastest time in both heats but benefiting when early leaders Nico Gleirscher of Austria and Dominik Fischnaller of Italy had trouble in their second runs.
USA Luge Olympic veteran Jayson Terdiman says he’s retiring
December 22, 2021 GMTUSA Luge slider Jayson Terdiman turned 33 this week, and he spent some of his birthday getting an injection of platelet-rich plasma to relieve tendinitis in his right elbow.
It only reaffirmed his decision that it’s time to move on.
Luge officials change qualifying formula for Beijing Games
December 17, 2021 GMTThe International Luge Federation has changed some of the qualifying rules for the upcoming Beijing Olympics, largely because many teams and sliders have been forced to use borrowed equipment for the last several weeks.
Luge champion Geisenberger says she may skip Beijing Games
December 8, 2021 GMTALTENBERG, Germany (AP) — Natalie Geisenberger of Germany, the two-time defending women’s Olympic luge champion, is considering skipping the Beijing Games because of her dissatisfaction with the way athletes were treated by Chinese officials when training there earlier this season.
Taubitz wins 2 luge World Cup golds, Britcher grabs a silver
December 5, 2021 GMTKRASNAYA POLYANA, Russia (AP) — Julia Taubitz of Germany won a pair of women’s World Cup luge races Sunday, while Summer Britcher gave USA Luge its best individual finish in nearly two years by grabbing a silver medal.
Aparjods gives Latvia 1st men’s World Cup luge win
December 4, 2021 GMTKRASNAYA POLYANA, Russia (AP) — Kristers Aparjods became the first Latvian to win a men’s World Cup luge race, rallying in the second heat on Saturday for victory on the track built for the 2014 Sochi Olympics.
Ludwig wins odd World Cup luge race on a warm day in Russia
November 28, 2021 GMTKRASNAYA POLYANA, Russia (AP) — Johannes Ludwig of Germany handled unseasonably warm conditions and won his second consecutive men’s World Cup luge race of the season Sunday.
Felix Loch of Germany was second, and Roman Repilov of Russia was third.
Berreiter wins women’s World Cup luge race in Russia
November 27, 2021 GMTKRASNAYA POLYANA, Russia (AP) — Anna Berreiter of Germany got the win in a women’s World Cup luge race on Saturday, giving the circuit six different women who have won the six medals awarded in the season’s first two races.
Egle wins women’s luge race; USA Luge grabs relay silver
November 21, 2021 GMTYANQING, China (AP) — Madeleine Egle of Austria won the first World Cup women’s singles gold medal of her career, prevailing Sunday in the season opener on the track built for this winter’s Beijing Olympics.
Ludwig dominant in luge World Cup, leads German men’s sweep
November 20, 2021 GMTYANQING, China (AP) — Johannes Ludwig has quickly made himself the favorite for men’s luge gold at the Beijing Olympics.
Ludwig led a German sweep of the men’s medals Saturday on the newly built Olympic track in China, winning a World Cup race by the biggest margin of any men’s, women’s or doubles race in nearly eight years.
Beijing: Olympic snow demand won’t affect water supply
November 18, 2021 GMTBEIJING (AP) — The high demand for artificial snow at the Beijing Winter Olympics will have a minimal effect on the local water supply, the organizers said on Thursday.
Water needed for snow making at the Yanqing zone where sliding and alpine skiing will be staged in February will account for just 1.6% of water used in the area, spokesman Zhao Weidong said at a news briefing.
2 athletes COVID-19 positive in Beijing Games warmup events
November 12, 2021 GMTBEIJING (AP) — Organizers of February’s Winter Olympics in Beijing said Friday that two foreign athletes had tested positive for COVID-19 in ongoing test events for the Games.
They also expressed sympathy for a Polish luge competitor who cracked his left kneecap and suffered deep cuts on his right leg at the Olympic sliding center this week in a crash that has been blamed on human error.
Luge officials: Olympic luge track crash was ‘human error’
November 11, 2021 GMTThe International Luge Federation said Thursday that “human error" caused a Polish athlete to crash and suffer serious leg injuries in a training run this week at the track built for this winter's Beijing Olympics.
Polish luge athlete injured in crash on Olympic track
November 8, 2021 GMTPolish luge officials said a malfunction at the sliding track built for this winter's Beijing Olympics caused one of its top athletes to crash and sustain a serious injury on Monday.
Mateusz Sochowicz fractured a kneecap in the crash at the track in Yanqing, China, the Polish team said.
USA Luge gets 1st runs of the season on Lake Placid track
October 14, 2021 GMTFor USA Luge, the Olympic season is here.
The team’s home track in Lake Placid, New York, opened for training Thursday, with two-time Olympic luge qualifier Tucker West getting the distinction of taking the first official run down the icy chute at Mount Van Hoevenberg.
As Olympics loom, USA Luge’s Chris Mazdzer breaks his foot
September 30, 2021 GMTReigning Olympic luge silver medalist Chris Mazdzer of the U.S. said Thursday that he broke his right foot during a preseason training run and will need some time before figuring out a new plan to get ready for this winter's Beijing Games.
West, Sweeney win USA Luge national start championships
September 8, 2021 GMTLAKE PLACID, N.Y. (AP) — USA Luge’s competitive season began Wednesday with Tucker West winning his ninth national start championship and Emily Sweeney winning the women’s start crown for the first time.