FIL aqotec World Cup Natural Track Luge - Latzfons (ITA) - Day 2

 

FIL aqotec WORLD CUP

NATURAL TRACK LUGE

 

Press Information

Sunday, February 6^th, 2010

 

6^th – 8^th February 2010

Latzfons (ITA)

 

Renate Gietl (ITA) wins home race, Patrick Pigneter (ITA) once again in his own league

 

Renate Gietl (ITA) took revenge on her home track in Latzfons and is fully at ease now. Five years ago she came to Latzfons as the World Cup leader and had just won four consecutive races and yet was denied her home triumph. Ekatharina Lavrentjeva (RUS) won the race, Renate Gietl finished fourth. "With my win today a lot of pressure was taken from me. Winning is always more difficult at home and I am so happy that I could accomplish this today." But there had been a fraction of insecurity for her when she crossed the finish line: "I heard the speaker say 'second' and I saw the two on the board, but then eventually my name came up first." The 'two' had just indicated the run time and in fact, Lavrentjeva had been faster in the second run: exactly one hundredth of a second.

In the final ranking Lavrentjeva came second and she is already analysing the result: "My first run was not good. But my teammates also noticed that my start times were really bad.  I have to look into that and work at it. There is one race left this winter." Everything promises a breathtaking show-down in three weeks in Garmisch-Partenkirchen (GER) as Renate Gietl has not given up the fight yet: "I still do have a tiny idea of a chance."

Within no time Junior World Champion Evelin Lanthaler (ITA) has established herself as a serious contender for podium finishes. She finished third once again and seems to handle the pressure in the "adult world" really well.  "It seems that after my medal in the European Championships everything is going by itself. I know that I can perform well, I do not put too much pressure on myself and I am fully motivated.  I am quite nervous now and then, but I know that I am mentally strong.  My goal today was to defend my third place which I had in yesterday's first run."

 

In the Men's race, Patrick Pigneter (ITA) once again dominated his opponents.  And he almost became the victim of his own superiority: "This is one of my favourite tracks and I was so incredibly fast in the training runs that I almost slowed down a little too much in the first run.  I was really surprised to see that I was only 12 hundredths ahead." For the second run Pigneter relied on his training equipment and won without difficulties. He even had time enough to enjoy the cheers of the spectators at the finish: "There were really a lot of people along the track today.  We should have more races like this one, it is fantastic to have such an audience. This is a sign that our sport is on a good path."

The only athlete who could challenge Pigneter – at least in the first run – was fellow Italian Rudi Resch.  Resch was runner up the second time in Latsch two weeks ago. "I was a bit worried about the second run as I personally prefer a cold a hard track and because of the sunshine it had become soft." But he managed well and held onto second place.

The real battle was behind the two Italians for the third spot on the podium. Eventually Austria's Gernot Schwab – tied with Anton Blasbichler in fifth  place after the first run - was the lucky one. "This success means a lot to me. One month ago I was down on my belly here in Latzfons, today I am standing on the podium." In a training accident Schwab had injured his knee which had caused him to miss the European Championships. "I have never been so afraid as I was today. My knee is not stable yet, and with all the holes in the track due to the sunshine, I was afraid I would catch my foot in one of them. Really, all I wanted was to reach the finish without an injury. But then I heard the times of Robert Batkowski and Anton Blasbichler and I knew that I had to attack. I took full risk and I have succeeded ."

 

 

 

Final Result Women (17):

 

1. Renate GIETL (ITA), 1:03,64(1), 1:03,43(2), 2.07,07

2. Ekatharina LAVRENTJEVA (RUS), 1:03,69(2), 1:03,42(1), 2:07,11

3. Evelin LANTHALER (ITA), 1:03,87(3), 1:03,57(3), 2:07,44

4. Melanie BATKOWSKI (AUT), 1:04,63(4), 1:04,48(4), 2:09,11

5. Melanie SCHWARZ (ITA), 1:04,84(5), 1:04,85(5), 2:09,69

6. Marlies WAGNER (AUT), 1:05,33(7), 1:04,86(6), 2:10,19

7. Alexandra OBRIST (ITA), 1:05,31(6), 1:04,95(7), 2:10,26

8. Olga SIDOROVA (RUS), 1:06,02(8), 1:05,31(9), 2:11,33

9. Michaela MAURER (GER), 1:06,34(10), 1:05,12(8), 2:11,46

10. Tina UNTERBERGER (AUT), 1:06,39(11), 1:05,94(10), 2:12,33

 

Final Result Men (40):

 

1. Patrick PIGNETER (ITA), 1:02,36(1), 1:01,99(1), 2:04,35

2. Rudi RESCH (ITA), 1:02,48(2), 1:02,85(2), 2:05,33

3. Gernot SCHWAB (AUT), 1:02,89(5), 1:02,94(3), 2:05,83

4. Thomas KAMMERLANDER (AUT), 1:02,79(4), 1:03,20(6), 2:05,99

4. Anton BLASBICHLER (ITA), 1:02,89(5), 1:03,10(5), 2:05,99

6. Gerald KAMMERLANDER (AUT), 1:02,94(7), 1:03,07(4), 2:06,01

7. Alex GRUBER (ITA), 1:02,70(3), 1:03,75(11), 2:06,45

8. Robert BATKOWSKI (AUT), 1:03,28(10), 1:03,24(7), 2:06,52

9. Hannes CLARA (ITA), 2:06,67

10. Thomas SCHOPF (AUT), 2:06,79

11. Stefan GRUBER (ITA), 2.07,11

12. Georg MAURER (GER), 2:07,13

12. Michael SCHEIKL (AUT), 2:07,13

14. Kaj JOHNSON (CAN), 2:07,67

14. Jury TALYKH (RUS), 2:07,67

24. John GIBSON (CAN), 2.10,70

 

 

World Cup Standings (5/6):

 

Women:

 

1. Ekatharina LAVRENTJEVA (RUS)        455

2. Renate GIETL (ITA)                                425

3. Melanie BATKOWSKI (AUT)                  375

4. Evelin LANTHALER (ITA)                       310

5. Marlies WAGNER (AUT)                        267

6. Olga SIDOROVA (RUS)                         200

7. Tina UNTERBERGER (AUT)                 179

8. Veronika NACHMANN (GER)                178

9. Melanie SCHWARZ (ITA)                       155

10. Ludmila ASTRAMOVISH (RUS)           148

13. Michaela MAURER (GER)                   127

 

Men:

 

1. Patrick PIGNETER (ITA)                         440

2. Thomas SCHOPF (AUT)                         332

3. Rudi RESCH (ITA)                                   313

4. Thomas KAMMERLANDER (AUT)        294

5. Anton BLASBICHLER (ITA)                    271

6. Gernot SCHWAB (AUT)                          246

7. Hannes CLARA (ITA)                              224

8. Stefan GRUBER (ITA)                             214

9. Gerald KAMMERLANDER (AUT)           202

10. Robert BATKOWSKI (AUT)                  165

11. Michael SCHEIKL (AUT)                       159

12. Kaj JOHNSON (CAN)                            156

34. John GIBSON (CAN)                               40

 

 

Complete result lists can be found at www.fil-luge.org under results or events

 

 

 

Chris Karl

FIL Media Service

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FIL aqotec World Cup Natural Track Luge - Latzfons (ITA) - Day 1

 

FIL aqotec WORLD CUP

NATURAL TRACK LUGE

 

Press Information

Saturday, February 6^th, 2010

 

6^th – 8^th February 2010

Latzfons (ITA)

 

15^th World Cup Win for Pigneter/Clara (ITA)

 

For the 15^th time in their career Patrick Pigneter/Florian Clara (ITA) were faster than anybody else and are now tied for second place with retired athletes Helmut Ruetz/Andi Ruetz (AUT) who also have 15 wins in the eternal historic result list. The Austrians however, have a total of 32 podiums finishes though, whereas Pigneter/Clara currently have 18.  So far, Reinhard Beer/Herbert Kögl (AUT) with 18, have the most World Cup wins.

Beer/Kögl may have 18, but Pigneter/Clara are young and ambitious enough and might break this record in near future: "So far we are not bored with winning", said Pigneter in Latzfons after their third consecutive win: "We are just faster than the others, even though the Russians were faster in the bottom part in the first run, but our performance was more balanced. In the second run we could go first, it is always more difficult when you have to attack, this is when you start making mistakes." Pigneter/Clara also proved experience by choosing the right equipment: "We tried different runners in the training runs, but thank God we picked the right ones for the race."

Runners up – for the 21^st time in their career – were Pavel Porshnev/Ivan Lazarev (RUS).  They were not totally satisfied with their placing: "The result is not bad, but also not really good. We made a mistake after the second turn which immediately showed in our run time."

Also not really happy were Christian Schopf/Andreas Schopf (AUT): "We could have been faster. But a podium finish is always a good result and also very important regarding the overall world cup. These were important points to increase the gap between the Polish and the other Russian double. In the second run our runners were too harsh for the track which had become warmer and softer."

 

In the women's event the first run was held already. Renate Gietl (ITA) took the lead ahead of Ekatharina Lavretjeva (RUS) and Evelin Lanthaler (ITA).

 

 

Final Results Doubles (11):

 

1. Patrick PIGNETER/Florian CLARA (ITA), 1:06,48(1), 1:06,74(1), 2:13,22

2. Pavel PORSHNEV/Ivan LAZAREV (RUS), 1:06,82(2), 1:07,36(2), 2:14,18

3. Christian SCHOPF/Thomas SCHOPF (AUT), 1:07,19(3), 1:07,61(3), 2:14,80

4. Florian BREITENBERGER/David MAIR (ITA), 1:07,71(5), 1:08,03(4), 2:15,74

5. Christian SCHATZ/Gerhard MÜHLBACHER (AUT), 1:07,63(4), 1:08,18(5), 2:15,81

6. Andrzej LASZCZAK/Damian WANICZEK (POL), 1:08,22(6), 1:08,62(7), 2:16,84

 

 

World Cup Standing Doubles (5/6):

 

 

1. Pavel PORSHNEV/Ivan LAZAREV (RUS)                                                 425

2. Patrick PIGNETER/Florian CLARA (ITA)                                                   400

3. Christian SCHOPF/Andreas SCHOPF (AUT)                                            335

4. Andrzej LASZCZAK/Damian WANICZEK (POL)                                        300

5. Aleksandr EGEROV/Petr POPOV (RUS)                                                   286

6. Christian SCHATZ/Gerhard MÜHLBACHER (AUT)                                  266

7. Thomas KAMMERLANDER/Christoph REGENSBURGER (AUT)          197

8. Björn KIERSPEL/Christian WICHAN (GER)                                              162

 

 

Intermediate Results Women (17) after one run:

 

1. Renate GIETL (ITA), 1:03,64

2. Ekatharina LAVRENTJEVA (RUS), 1:03,69

3. Evelin LANTHALER (ITA), 1:03,87

4. Melanie BATKOWSKI (AUT), 1:04,63

5. Melanie SCHWARZ (ITA), 104,84

6. Alexandra OBRIST (ITA), 1:05,31

 

Complete result lists can be found at www.fil-luge.org under results or events

 

 

 

Chris Karl

FIL Media Service

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FIL aqotec World Cup Natural Track Luge - Latzfons (ITA) - Preview

 

FIL aqotec WORLD CUP

NATURAL TRACK LUGE

 

Press Information

Thursday, February 4^th, 2010

 

6^th – 8^th February 2010

Latzfons (ITA)

 

100^th World Cup Start for Anton Blasbichler (ITA)

 

Once again the elite of Natural Track racers will meet in South Tyrol in Italy before there will be a two week's break in which their colleagues on artificial track luge will fight for Olympic medals in Vancouver. The season final will be held in Garmisch-Partenkirchen (GER) at the end February. Some of the seemingly assigned roles have changed during the season.  In the doubles' event Patrick Pigneter/Florian Clara (ITA) are still racing in their own league. Only the crash in the second race in Russia could interrupt their dominance. Save this one exception Pigneter/Clara have never been ranked worse than second within 17 races.

In the Women's category Renate Gietl (ITA) is back on winning track and with Evelin Lanthaler (ITA) there are also Ekatharina Lavrentjeva (RUS) and Melanie Batkowski (AUT).  This means there is an additional contender for the three podium spots.

In the Men's event it seems like a bunch of youngsters have finally managed to crack the superiority of Patrick Pigneter (ITA). At the beginning of the season Thomas Schopf (AUT) managed to beat the serial winner, recently Italian fellows Hannes Clara, Rudi Resch and Alex Gruber have become serious opponents.

Of course there is another Italian who should never be underestimated: Anton Blasbichler. He will celebrate a special anniversary in Latzfons, he will participate in his 100^th World Cup race.  The World Cup Series itself only celebrated its 100^th race a few weeks ago, so Blasbichler missed exactly two world cups within 18 years. He won his first race in Moscow in 1994 and to now has earned 20 First Place finishes, which makes him the most successful athlete, followed by Gerhard Pilz (AUT) with 18 and Patrick Pigneter with 16 wins. With his most recent bronze medal in the European Championships two weeks ago, Blasbichler demonstrated that in his 19^th world cup season he is "still good" for a podium finish.

 

The aqotec World Cup in Latzfons 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.

 

 

 

"Lahnwiesen" Track Info:

 

Length: 908 m

Start Elevation: 1665m

Finish Elevation: 1549m

Difference: 116m

Maximum Descent: 20%

Minimum Descent: 3%

Average Descent: 12,78%

 

 

Program:

 

Friday, Feb 6, 2010:

09.00am: 1.Training run men and women

11.30am: 1.Training run doubles

12.30pm: 2.Trainings run doubles

07.00pm: Opening Ceremony

 

Saturday, Feb 7, 2010:

09.30am: 2.Training run women

10:00am: 1.competition run doubles

11.30am: 2.competition run doubles

afterwards: 1.competition run women

01.30pm: 2.Training run men

 

Sunday, Feb 8, 2010

10.00am: 1.competition run men

afterwards: 2.competition run women

12:00pm: 2.competition run men

02.00pm: Medal Ceremonies

 

Chris Karl

FIL Media Service

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Rck Mercer - 2010 Rossland Winter Carnival Natural Luge-

Canada's much loved Rick Mercer was in Rossland, British Columbia for the 113th Annual Rossland Winter Carnival. There he met up with the "Rossland Radicals" to receive a lesson on Natural Luge.

Rick gave it a good try and seemed to have a great time. Click on the link to watch his antics...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUTF-h7IgiE

Retraction for "Canadian Update From the IC Cup in Frantschach, Austria"

Apologies. The information posted in the last update was not 100%
accurate. Kaj's third place finish marks the first ever Canadian
MEN's podium finish in an Intercontinental Cup. Melissa Jones
finished in third place on January 19, 2003 in Jesenice, Slovenia.

Cheers.

Canadian Update From the IC Cup in Frantschach, Austria

The World Cup circuit took a weeklong break for the Junior World
Championships this past weekend. While the juniors raced for the
world number one title, John and Kaj took a trip to Franstschach,
Austria for an Intercontinental Cup race. Having never seen the track
before, they were greeted by a very old school design. The track was
narrow, steep, and kinky. Marginal ice conditions added to the
technical demands.

Despite being newbies to the track, the Canadians fared surprisingly
well. John placed sixth just behind the two local favourites who were
not quite fast enough to secure a podium finish. Kaj, on the other
hand, was. He finished in third place marking the first ever podium
finish for a Canadian in an Intercontinental Cup race.

It was a bittersweet victory for Kaj, however. After the first run he
was comfortably in second place behind the heavy contender, Andreas
Castiglioni of Italy. Unfortunately, nerves got the best of Kaj
before the second run and he lost some time, giving up the silver
medal.

John enjoyed the return to the old school style of track and testing
his technical sliding skills to the max. He was satisfied with the
weekend's results.

All the best,

Kaj and John

Canadian Update From the IC Cup in Frantschach, Austria

The World Cup circuit took a weeklong break for the Junior World
Championships this past weekend. While the juniors raced for the
world number one title, John and Kaj took a trip to Franstschach,
Austria for an Intercontinental Cup race. Having never seen the track
before, they were greeted by a very old school design. The track was
narrow, steep, and kinky. Marginal ice conditions added to the
technical demands.

Despite being newbies to the track, the Canadians fared surprisingly
well. John placed sixth just behind the two local favourites who were
not quite fast enough to secure a podium finish. Kaj, on the other
hand, was. He finished in third place marking the first ever podium
finish for a Canadian in an Intercontinental Cup race.

It was a bittersweet victory for Kaj, however. After the first run he
was comfortably in second place behind the heavy contender, Andreas
Castiglioni of Italy. Unfortunately, nerves got the best of Kaj
before the second run and he lost some time, giving up the silver
medal.

John enjoyed the return to the old school style of track and testing
his technical sliding skills to the max. He was satisfied with the
weekend's results.