SIGULDA, Latvia -- Canadian Alex Gough is on a nice roll heading into the Sochi Winter Games. Tom Brady Jersey . The 26-year-old from Calgary capped the World Cup season off in style, finishing second in a second straight womens singles luge event Saturday. American Kate Hansen claimed the gold medal with a two-run time of one minute 23.976 seconds. Gough, the first-run leader, finished second, 0.076 seconds behind. Russian Natalia Khoreva was third, 0.176 seconds back. Gough claimed her 17th career World Cup medal. "That was a very good race today with two solid runs," said Canadian team coach Wolfgang Staudinger. "We are only at this track once every two years so to be able to perform on a track where we have minimal runs is impressive." Calgarys Kimberley McRae finished sixth in 1:24.37 while Arianne Jones, also of Calgary, was 16th in 1:24.790. In mens doubles, Tristan Walker of Cochrane, Alta., and Calgarys Justin Snith were eighth in 1:23.304. Hansen was a surprise winner Saturday, becoming the first American to prevail in a singles race on the circuit since Nov. 22, 1997. It gave both her and the team a major infusion of confidence heading into next months Sochi Games. "Of course its a great surprise for me," Hansen said. "Ive never dreamed of winning the event." Hansen was a five-year-old when Cameron Myler gave the U.S. its most recent singles victory on the World Cup circuit, which also came in Sigulda. And she wasnt even born when Germany last failed to have a woman reach the medal podium after a race on tour. Improbable as it sounds, both things happened Saturday. The 21-year-old Hansen capped her win with a track-record run in the second heat, while Germany -- which in fairness kept its top three sliders, including World Cup champion Natalie Geisenberger, out of the competition so they could prepare for the Olympics instead -- had no one finish better than seventh, an absolute rarity for the deepest team in the world. Hansens gold is the first for the U.S. in any major international race since Erin Hamlin won the world championship in 2009. "This is a momentous occasion," USA Luge spokesman Sandy Caligiore said. Germanys top slider was Dajana Eitberger, about a half-second behind Hansen. Germany had earned a medal in every World Cup womens singles race since 1988. Whether the German best were there or not, it was still a breakthrough for Hansen. The U.S. national champion held the lead at the midway point of the season-opening race at Lillehammer, Norway, then slipped all the way back to 12th in the second heat. And before Saturday, she had never even earned a medal in a World Cup race. Now shes heading to her first Olympics knowing how winning feels. "I dont know if the pressure with regard to the upcoming Olympic Games will be greater now," Hansen said. "Its a good question. But well see." Geisenberger, who clinched the World Cup title a week earlier, finished the season with 785 standings points. Gough was second with 626, Germanys Tatjana Huefner was third with 551, followed by Germanys Anke Wischnewski (493) and Eitberger (432). Shane Vereen Jersey . The Olympic hockey rookies will face top-seeded and 2006 Olympic champion Sweden on Wednesday in the quarterfinals. Kopitar, who plays for the Los Angeles Kings, is the only NHL player on the Slovenia squad. His father, Matjaz, is the national teams coach. Darrelle Revis Elite Jersey . Kingsbury, from Deux-Montagnes, Que., won gold with a score of 26.93, while Bilodeau, from Montreal, took silver with 26.54. Japans Sho Endo (25.24) placed third.LEVERKUSEN, Germany -- Bayer Leverkusen has signed Mexico winger Andres Guardado on loan from Valencia with the option to buy at the end of the season. The Bundesliga side says in a statement that 27-year-old Guardado signed a contract with the club after passing his medical on Thursday. Leverkusen sporting director Rudi Voeller says "Guardado is a very experrienced player. Donta Hightower Elite Jersey. He was a regular in Valencia and played in the Champions League with the club last season. Hes a leading player with his national team." Guardado, who plays on the left of midfield, has made 99 appearances for Mexico. He joined Valencia in 2012 from Deportivo La Coruna, which he joined in 2007 from Atlas Guadalajara. ' ' '
