FIL Aqotec Wrld Cup Natural Track Luge - Latsch day 2

 

FIL aqotec WORLD CUP

NATURAL TRACK LUGE

 

Press Information

Sunday, January 24^th, 2010

 

22^nd – 24^th January 2010

Latsch/Laces (ITA)

 

First World Cup Win for Hannes Clara (ITA), First Season Win for Renate Gietl (ITA)

Her 12th career win but the first in this season celebrated Renate Gietl (ITA) in today's race in Laces/Latsch. The basis was laid by a great first run, but she knew very well that serial winner Ekatharina Lavrentjeva being ranked fourth after the first run, would attack and try to claim back the number one spot. "When I heard at the start that Ekatharina had such a great second run and the speaker announced that she would be hard to beat, I actually became a bit nervous. But I saw in the first run what I can deliver here and in spite of my leading margin from the first run, I took full risk. I knew I had to give it all." Her effort was rewarded with another fastest runtime. "I am proud of my two runs and the time difference with which I have won."

 

With an almost perfect second run Ekatharina Lavrentjeva managed to claim a spot on the podium. "Yesterday I had troubles, my equipment was not perfect and I made some mistakes, but today there was only one turn which I maybe could have managed better."

 

Third became Evelin Lanthaler, the 18-year-old Italian, who already raised attention with her silver medal in the European Championships last week. "I am young and can compete here without any pressure. It is fantastic that I can actually fight for the spots on the podium. Today it was all very tight and my goal was to keep my third place from the first run and I succeeded", said Lanthaler who defeated Austria's Melanie Batkowski by one hundredth of a second.

 

Michaela Maurer (GER) finished seventh and achieved her best career result: "I already did very well in the training runs, beating my personal best times, in the race I managed to do even better, I am racing in an area now where I have never been before. Too bad that I lost one place in the second run, but I screwed up one turn and lost all the speed there. Overall I am very satisfied", she said.

 

Just like in the women's race also in the men's event a new face was seen on top of the podium. Hannes Clara (ITA) managed to win his first World Cup race ever: "I am so happy", said the rookie from South Tyrol, "I was really surprised about my fantastic time in the first run, but I really had an excellent run. In the training runs I was still trying to find the best adjustment for all my equipment, but for the race it was all perfect." For the first time in his still young career he had to start a second run as the leader: "This was really new for me and I was incredibly nervous". As a student he did not have a lot of time for practise before the season started, so he did not even join the team for the trip to Russia where the first two races were held. "For me each additional race is more practise and I think that I am getting better in shape the longer the season lasts", said Clara, very humbly as in his two World Cup starts this season he finished second and first.

 

Italian athlete, Rudi Resch achieved his first podium finish in his career.  He already had the reputation of only having one good run per race. "I always made some major mistake somewhere and today I finally had two good runs. This is a completely new feeling. It was really strange when at the start there were fewer and fewer starters, I became quite nervous. This was a terrific day for me."

 

Patrick Pigneter (ITA) was beaten by two fellow Italians and finished third for the only second time in his World Cup career. "They have been faster because they were better, not because I made mistakes", praised Pigneter his colleagues' performances. "After the last two races I thought I was in my own league, but once again I had to realize that you cannot even let go a little bit. But I am happy especially for Rudi Resch, who has been fourth or fifth so many times."

 

 

Final Results Women (20):

 

1. Renate GIETL (ITA), 1:03,82(1), 1:03,88(1), 2:07,70

2. Ekatharina LAVRENTJEVA (RUS), 1:04,60(4), 1:03,99(2), 2:08,59

3. Evelin LANTHALER (ITA), 1:04,51(3), 1:04,75(3), 2:09,26

4. Melanie BATKOWSKI (AUT), 1:04,44(2), 1:04,83(4), 2:09,27

5. Alexandra OBRIST (ITA), 1:05,67(5), 1:05,42(5), 2:11,09

6. Melanie SCHWARZ (ITA), 1:05,98(7), 1:05,69(6), 2:11,67

7. Michaela MAURER (GER), 1:05,82(6), 1:06,30(8), 2:12,12

8. Marlies WAGNER (AUT), 1:06,73 (8), 1:05,73(7), 2:12,46

9. Tina UNTERBERGER (AUT), 1:07,16(10), 1:06,48(9), 2:13,64

10. Veronika NACHMANN (GER), 1:06,80(9), 1:07,05(10), 2:13,85

 

 

Final Results Men (40):

 

1. Hannes CLARA (ITA), 1:02,58(1), 1:02,73(1), 2:05,31

2. Rudi RESCH (ITA), 1:02,68(2), 1:02,79(2), 2:05,47

3. Patrick PIGNETER (ITA), 1:02,74(3), 1:02,79(2), 2:05,53

4. Thomas SCHOPF (AUT), 1:03,15(4), 1:03,01(5), 2:06,16

5. Alex GRUBER (ITA), 1:03,38(7), 1:02,94(4), 2:06,32

6. Stefan GRUBER (ITA), 1:03,23(5), 1:03,44(8), 2:06,67

7. Gernot SCHWAB (AUT), 1:03,36(6), 1:03,36(6), 2:06,68

8. Gerald KAMMERLANDER (AUT), 1:03,39(8), 1:03,42(7), 2:06,81

9. Thomas KAMMERLANDER (AUT), 1:03,41(9), 1:03,76(9), 2:07,17

10. Anton BLASBICHLER (ITA), 1:03,57(10), 1:04,13(11), 2:07,70

13. Kaj JOHNSON (CAN), 1:04,70(15), 1:04,18(12), 2:08,88

14. Georg MAURER (GER), 1:04,25(13), 1:04,70(14), 2:08,95

18. John Gibson (CAN), 1:05.59(18), 1:05.50(18), 2:11.09

 

 

 

World Cup Standings (4/6):

 

Women:

 

1. Ekatharina LAVRENTJEVA (RUS)        370

2. Renate GIETL (ITA)                                325

3. Melanie BATKOWSKI (AUT)                  315

4. Evelyn LANTHALER (ITA)                      240

5. Marlies WAGNER (AUT)                        217

6. Olga SIDOROVA (RUS)                         158

7. Veronika NACHMANN (GER)                146

8. Tina UNTERBERGER (AUT)                 143

9. Ludmila ASTRAMOVISH (RUS)             114

10. Nina BUCINEL (SLO)                           106

13. Michaela MAURER (GER)                     88

 

Men:

 

1. Patrick PIGNETER (ITA)                        340

2. Thomas SCHOPF (AUT)                        296

3. Thomas KAMMERLANDER (AUT)        234

4. Rudi RESCH (ITA)                                  228

5. Anton BLASBICHLER (ITA)                   211

6. Hannes CLARA (ITA)                             185

7. Stefan GRUBER (ITA)                            180

8. Gernot SCHWAB (AUT)                         176

9. Gerald KAMMERLANDER (AUT)          152

10. Kaj JOHNSON (CAN)                           128

17. Björn KIERSPEL (GER)                          92

 

 

 

Chris Karl

FIL Media Service

 

http://www.fil-luge.org/filext/result_detail_select.asp?lan=en&currSeason=2009%2F2010&art=NB&cup_type=WC+&event_id_fk=494

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