Deutschnofen/Nova Ponente (ck) - Both Italian teams finished on the podium in the team events which was the opening event of the 19th FIL World Championships in Deutschnofen/Nova Ponente (ITA). Italy I with Alex Gruber, Melanie Schwarz und Patrick Pigneter/Florian Clara upset the other team s and won with a total time of 2:49,35 and a winning margin of 2.42 seconds. For Pigneter/Clara is was the third consecutive team title, but Melanie Schwarz as well as Alex Gruber found themselves on the top of the podium for the very first time. “I have not yet got used to the feeling”, said the new world champion Melanie Schwarz. “I had two good training runs and for me a dream came true when I heard that I would be given the spot in the team. This was always Renate Gietl’s place. Of course I put some pressure on myself, I did not want to disappoint the team”. With the second fastest run time behind Ekatharina Lavrentjeva (RUS) she did not only not disappoint the team, she also put herself in the small circle of medal contenders for the singles’ race. “Of course this success is a motivation for the following days”, she said. Alex Gruber also had an excellent run and won his first world championship medal: “Two years ago I already had the chance to qualify for the team, but I missed it. Now my goal is to win another medal in the singles’ event”, he said. The silver medal went to team Russia I with the top star Ekatharina Lavrentjeva and the world champions Pavel Porshnev/Ivan Lazarev. Even though Lavrentjeva achieved a runtime which could not be beaten by anyone, she was not fully satisfied: “I know I can be faster. For tomorrow I hope that I can activate my reserves.” For Porshnev/Lazarev their time would not have been good enough to defend their title. Pigneter/Clara as well as Christian Schatz/Gerhard Mühlbacher (AUT) and fellow Russians from team II, Pavel Silin/Ivan Rodin were faster. The bronze medallists, team Italy II with Evelin Lanthaler, Florian Breitenberger and Hannes Clara/Stefan Gruber, had one thing in common: for all of them it was the first world championship medal in their careers. “I am so happy. In world championships you only race for medals and you also need a little bit of luck. Today all went well”, said Breitenberger. Even Evelin Lanthaler with all her previous successes celebrated her first medal: “But I hope it won’t be the last”, she smiled. Team Germany proved once more with their fifth place that they established their position in the international elite. Georg Maurer even achieved the third fastest time. Bad luck had Christian Schopf/Andreas Schopf (AUT) who crashed in a so far good run: “Bad luck or a mistake, it does not matter. It is most important that we are not injured and that the sled will be repaired for tomorrow”, said Andreas Schopf and adds:”ten years ago the same thing happened. I crashed in the training run and the next day we became world champions”, then with his cousin Wolfgang Schopf. Final Results Team Event: 1. Italy I 2:49,35 Melanie SCHWARZ, Alex GRUBER, Patrick PIGNETER/Florian CLARA 2. Russia I 2:51,77 Ekatharina LAVRENTJEVA, Stanislav KOVSHIK, Pavel PORSHNEV/Ivan LAZAREV 3. Italy II 2:52,92 Evelin LANTHALER, Florian BREITENBERGER, Hannes CLARA/Stefan GRUBER 4. Austria II 2:53,48 Marlies WAGNER, Michael SCHEIKL, Christian SCHATZ/Gerhard MÜHLBACHER 5. Germany 2:53,60 Michaela MAURER, Georg MAURER, Björn KIERSPEL/Christian WICHAN