The last World Cup win by a U.S. doubles team, Mark Grimmette and Brian Martin, was 21 years ago.

The final time of the U.S. duo, who has only been racing together since 2021, was 1:27.630 minutes. The second best time in both heats was enough for them to triumph ahead of Austria’s Thomas Steu and Wolfgang Kindl. The new Austrian duo had set the fastest time of 43.645 seconds in the first run but made mistakes in turns seven and eight in the second run.

“We didn’t take any risks, the sled was set up on the safe side,” Steu said. “I made a stupid driving mistake that was really unncecessary.”

In the end, they were 0.052 seconds behind Di Gregorio/Hollander. Nevertheless, Wolfgang Kindl was satisfied with his debut in the doubles class.

The top three women’s doubles teams pose during the FIL Luge World Cup flower ceremony Friday after their second run at Mount Van Hoevenberg in Lake Placid. From left are Dajana Eitberger and Saskia Schirmer of Germany, silver; Selina Egle and Lara Kipp of Austria, gold; and Andrea Votter and Marion Oberhofer of Italy, bronze. (Provided photo — FIL)

“I thought the transition would be more difficult,” Kindl said. “I already have a podium finish, now I can head into the men’s race completely relaxed.

Austria’s second team of Juri Gatt and Riccardo Schopf (0.072 seconds back) finished third ahead of Latvia’s Martins Bots and Roberts Plume (0.111), Olympic Champions Tobias Wendl and Tobias Arlt (Germany/0.223), and Emanuel Rieder and Simon Kainzwaldner (Italy/0.331).

The other U.S. men’s doubles team — Dana Kellogg and Frank Ike — finished in 10th place with a time of 1:28.482.

Women’s doubles

Selina Egle and Lara Kipp also caused a surprise. The Austrian duo had never raced on the Olympic track in Lake Placid before. Accordingly, the two Tyroleans approached the task with caution.

Nancy Beattie of Lake Placid shared this photo from the doubles events Friday at Mount Van Hoevenberg during the FIL World Cup. (Provided photo — Nancy Beattie)

“We were warned about the technically challenging track,” Lara Kipp said. “So we were a bit scared and nervous. But we got along well right from the start, the track suits us.”

And so they set the fastest time in the first run.

In the end, they clocked 1:28.924 minutes. Dajana Eitberger and Saskia Schirmer (Germany) were 0.113 seconds longer on the track at their World Cup debut.

“It was like all the races we’ve done together. I was unbelievably nervous, you could see that in the first run,” the Sprint World Champion admitted after her first World Cup in doubles, “the second run was so much fun from start to finish, there’s nothing to complain about.”

Last season’s overall World Cup winners Andrea Votter and Marion Oberhofer finished third ahead of the U.S. duo Chevonne Forgan and Sophia Kirkby (1:29.574). The other U.S. women’s doubles team of Maya Chan and Reannyn Weiler placed sixth with a time of 1:30.014.

Nancy Beattie of Lake Placid shared this photo from the doubles events Friday at Mount Van Hoevenberg during the FIL World Cup. (Provided photo — Nancy Beattie)