Germany's Julia Taubitz retained the women's singles Luge World Cup title in Winterberg today ©Getty Images

Germany's Julia Taubitz successfully defended her overall women's singles title in the Luge World Cup despite failing to win a medal at the concluding event in Winterberg.

The 26-year-old, who added singles world silver last month to the gold she won in 2021, carried a lead of 90 points into the final race and only had to finish to secure the
Sprint World Cup, Luge World Cup and the overall World Cup.

Taubitz finished fifth on the day, 0.348sec behind Austria’s winner Madeleine Egle, who earned her third World Cup win of the season in 1min 52.843sec ahead of compatriot Lisa Schulte, who was 0.224sec back.

Bronze went to Germany's recently installed world champion Anna Berreiter 0.245 behind.

But it was Taubitz's day in this finale to the International Luge Federation (FIL) flagship series as she earned the reward for a hugely consistent season in which she has finished on the podium in seven of the nine World Cup races, winning twice.

She finished top of the World Cup standings on 677 points, with compatriots Dajana Eitberger and Berreiter finishing second and third respectively on 661 and 640.

In the overall rankings, Taubitz finished on 947 ahead of Eitberger on 852 and Berreiter on 789.

Eitberger, 32, was making her final appearance in singles before switching to doubles racing.

"I would have liked to win a medal today and finish the season with a victory, but I was really nervous today and I am happy that it worked out," Taubitz said.

"You can hardly believe it, but this sentence 'You just have to get to the finish line' creates a certain pressure!

"I wanted to show two great runs again, which I didn't quite manage, but anyway, I have won all three titles now for the first time in my career and I am incredibly happy about it."

There were further medals for Austria as Selina Egle and Lara Kipp won the women’s doubles, setting a track record of 43.916sec in a total of 1:28.169.

Silver went to Germany’s Jessica Degenhardt and Cheyenne Rosenthal, at 0.339 behind, and bronze to the Italian pairing of Andrea Voetter and Marion Oberhofer at 0.385 back.

Germany took gold and silver in the men's doubles thanks respectively to Tobias Wendl and Tobias Arlt, and Toni Eggert and Sascha Benecken, with bronze going to Austria's Juri Thomas Gatt and Riccardo Schoepf.

The men's singles race will take place tomorrow.