FIL aqotec World Cup Natural Track Luge - Garmisch-Partenkirchen (GER)

 

FIL aqotec WORLD CUP

NATURAL TRACK LUGE

 

Press Information

Wednesday, February 24^th, 2010

 

26^th – 28^th February 2010

Garmisch-Partenkirchen (GER)

 

World Cup show-down in host city of 1936 Olympic Games

 

It seems like most decisions have already been made before the aqotec World Cup has its final race in Garmisch-Partenkirchen (GER). Each athlete can drop their result with the least points for the calculation of the points total, but the final race cannot be dropped – this rule might lead to some surprises in the final ranking.

Regardless, Patrick Pigneter (ITA) will likely win the overall World Cup for the fifth consecutive time as Thomas Schopf (AUT) who started so well this winter, would have to catch up more than 100 points in one race.  In theory this is possible only if Schopf wins and Pigneter does not score at all, but this is not very likely considering Pineter's performance in the past.  Except for one crash last year, Pigneter has never been finished worse than third,  The real fight will be for the second and third places between Thomas Schopf, Rudi Resch (ITA), Thomas Kammerlander (AUT), Anton Blasbichler (ITA) and last but not least Gernot Schwab (AUT).   There are five athletes who can reach the podium.  Due to his injury, Gernot Schwab missed one race, so he will score full points in the final (the missed race being his drop result).

In the doubles event Russia's Pavel Porshnev/Ivan Lazarev are in the lead, but this does not really mean much as Patrick Pigneter/Florian Clara (ITA) could win four races so far. They crashed in one race, so this will be their drop result. If they win again in Garmisch-Partenkirchen they can even win the aqotec World Cup with the maximum of 500 points. Porshnev/Lazarev will loose 70 points in the final count and will most likely fall behind the Italians.

The women's race will reveal whether Ekatharina Lavrentjeva (RUS) will win the overall world cup for the seventh total and and fifth consecutive time, or  if Renate Gietl (ITA) will win it for the second time in their careers.  Lavrentjeva won the last world cup race held in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, in the 2003/2004 season.  Rookie Evelin Lanthaler (ITA) has become better and better in each race since she won her silver medal in the European Championships and she might play an important role in the distribution of the final points. Currently she is ranked fourth in the World Cup, behind Melanie Batkowski (AUT) who could also claim a spot on the podium.  She has the track in Garmisch-Partenkirchen in good memory as she was the Junior World Champion for the first time in the host city of the 1936 Winter Olympic Games.

The aqotec World Cup in Garmisch-Partenkirchen will be started with training runs on Friday, followed by the competitions runs in the doubles' race and one women's competition run on Saturday. It will be completed on Sunday with the singles' decisions.

 

 

 

Track Info:

 

Length: 1100 m

Start Elevation: 890m

Finish Elevation: 737m

Difference: 153m

Average Descent: 14,7%

 

Program in Garmisch-Partenkirchen:

 

Friday, Feb 26, 2010:

09.00am: 1st Training run men and women

01.30pm: 1st Training run doubles

02.30pm: 2nd Training run doubles

06.00pm: Opening Ceremony

 

Saturday, Feb 27, 2010:

10.00am: 2nd Training run women

afterwards: 1st competition run doubles

12.30pm: 2nd competition run doubles

afterwards: 1st competition run women

02.00pm: 2nd Training run men

 

Sunday, Feb 28, 2010

10.00am: 1st competition run men

afterwards: 2nd competition run women

12:00pm: 2nd competition run men

02.00pm: Medal Ceremonies

 

Chris Karl

FIL Media Service

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