Host Germany wins 5 out of 9 medals on 1st day of luge worlds

Germany won five of the nine available medals on the first day of luge's world championships Friday, including a podium sweep in the women's sprint race.

Julia Taubitz was first, Anna Berreiter second and Dajana Eitberger third for the Germans in the women's sprint. Natalie Geisenberger was fourth, giving Germany a 1-2-3-4 finish.

WATCH | Germany's Taubitz captures first career individual World Championship luge title:

Germany's Taubitz captures first career individual World Championship luge title

4 years ago

Duration 1:26

Julia Taubitz of Germany won her first ever individual luge World Championships title Friday in the sprint event crossing the line with a time of 39.101.

Summer Britcher was the top U.S. finisher, placing seventh.

In the doubles sprint, Germany's Tobias Wendl and Tobias Arlt won the gold, followed by Latvia's Andris Sics and Juris Sics, with Germans Toni Eggert and Sascha Benecken taking third.

Tristan Walker of Cochrane, Alta., and Calgary's Justin Snith were ninth.

WATCH | Top 10 finish for Canada's Walker and Snith at luge World Championships:

Top 10 finish for Canada's Walker and Snith at luge World Championships

4 years ago

Duration 1:57

Tristan Walks and Justin Snith finished ninth at the FIL sprint doubles luge World Championships Friday in Königssee, Germany crossing the line with a time of 39.368.

The men's sprint world title went to Austria's Nico Gleirscher. In second place was Semen Pavlichenko, a Russian who competed as a neutral entrant because Russia is currently banned from using its name, flag and anthem at major events like Olympics and world championships as part of the sanctions from a doping scandal. Olympic champion David Gleirscher of Austria was third.

Tucker West was 12th in the men's sprint for the U.S.