LILLEHAMMER, Norway - Luge world champion Erin Hamlin has added a World Cup medal to her collection, and Tony Benshoof is heading to the Olympics for the third time.

Hamlin was third in a World Cup race Sunday for her highest series finish, becoming the first U.S. woman to medal in the series since Ashley Hayden took bronze at Winterberg in 2005.

"First medal in World Cup, so I am happy,'' Hamlin said.

Next up for Hamlin: A trip home for the unveiling of the Olympic luge team in New York on Friday, before the second half of the season resumes in Europe in early January.

"It's a nice way to end the first half,'' Hamlin said. "Obviously it would have been very cool and continue after my first run and be first, but I'm definitely not disappointed with a third place. I have been sliding really well all week, so it's nice to cap it off with a good race.''

Hamlin, a 23-year-old from Remsen, N.Y., led midway through the two-run event, then finished 0.037 seconds behind German winner Tatjana Hüfner. Another German, Natalie Geisenberger, was second.

"We know that Erin is very good so that her good times are no surprise,'' Geisenberger said. "Tatjana and me only wanted to attack in second run and we are happy that it worked.''

Hamlin won the world championship last season on her home track in Lake Placid, N.Y. She has already clinched a spot on the U.S. team headed to the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. It'll be her second Olympics after finishing 12th at Turin in 2006.

"I wouldn't say I'm really focusing on that yet,'' Hamlin said. "In 2006 I kind of learned that it is just like any other race, so I'm not really going to hype everything up at all. It'll be a lot of fun and there's just a lot more going on, which is sometimes good because it can kind of occupy you. But at the same time, it's going to start lingering in the back of my mind a little bit more for sure.''

Benshoof likely feels the same way.

Although it seemed merely like a formality, Benshoof, a 34-year-old from White Bear Lake, Minn., locked up his trip to Vancouver with a ninth-place finish in Sunday's men's World Cup race, finishing 1.043 seconds behind Russian winner Albert Demtschenko.

Armin Zoeggeler of Italy was second and Felix Loch of Germany took third.

Benshoof becomes the fourth American luge competitor assured of a trip to Vancouver, joining Hamlin and the doubles team of Christian Niccum and Dan Joye. The rest of the 10-person U.S. Olympic luge team will be announced this week, with the possibility of race-offs needed in Lillehammer either Tuesday or Wednesday.