(L-R) Jayson Terdiman, Tucker West, Matt Mortensen and Erin Hamlin pose after winning silver in the team relay at the FIL Luge World Cup on Jan. 6, 2017 in Konigssee, Germany.
Team USA’s Erin Hamlin, Tucker West, Matt Mortensen and Jayson Terdiman combined to claim the team relay silver medal Friday in world cup competition in Koenigssee, Germany.
The Americans finished in a time of 2:43.229, 0.881 seconds behind the home-standing team from Germany, which posted a 2:42.348. Austria was third in 2:43.617.
After taking bronze in the first team relay of the season in Lake Placid, New York, Team USA moves into second in the world cup standings, passing the Russian team that did not finish in Koenigssee. Canada holds a five-point lead over the U.S. with 160 points, while Germany improved from seventh to third with 146 points.
It was the fourth podium of the season for both 2014 Olympian West and the doubles team of Mortensen and Terdiman, both of whom are also 2014 Olympians but with different partners.
West scored singles victories in Lake Placid and Whistler, British Columbia, and currently is tied for sixth in the men’s standings. Mortensen and Terdiman had taken doubles silver in Lake Placid and bronze in the sprint race in Park City and are ranked fourth in their world cup standings, 44 points away from third.
Hamlin, the reigning Olympic women’s bronze medalist, earned gold in the singles and sprint races in Park City, Utah, and is fourth in the women’s world cup standings with 400 points, one point away from Alex Gough of Canada.
The next stop on the world cup circuit is Jan. 14-15 in Sigulda, Latvia. The schedule will include a team relay event to replace one that was postponed last month in Whistler.
