30th FIL Summer Cup in Ilmenau

Ilmenau (FIL/02 Sept 2023) Since the summer of 1993, the International FIL Summer Luge Cup has always been held in September in Ilmenau (GER).

41 female and male athletes from three nations (Germany, Austria and Italy) participated in the 30th edition of the Summer Luge Cup on the "Wolfram-Fiedler-Luge-Track" at the Lindenberg in Ilmenau on September 2.

The official training on Friday, September 1 was cancelled due to heavy rain. But the sun came out just in time for the races on Saturday. About 400 spectators came to the 430 meter long track.

Elisa-Marie Storch and Max Langenhahn (both GER) in the senior category as well as Alexandra Oberstolz (ITA) and Paul Socher (AUT) in the youth races were among the winners of the FIL Summer Luge Cup in Ilmenau.

Olympic fifth-place finisher Hannah Prock of Austria raced to the second place in Ilmenau behind winner Storch, and Germany's Antonia Pietschmann was third in the women's race. Runner-up Max Langenhahn was followed on the podium by his teammates Sebastian Bley and David Nößler.

The fastest times of 20.411 for the women and 20.076 for the men were achieved by the winners of the youth category, Alexandra Oberstolz (ITA) and Paul Socher (AUT). Marie Riedl (AUT) and Helene Trampe (GER) as well as Leon Haselrieder (ITA) and Johannes Scharnagl (AUT) in the men's youth category finished on the podium.

Dajana Eitberger with 13 victories and Andi Langenhan with ten victories continue to lead the FIL Summer Luge Cup ranking.

Luge festival for the whole family

Traditionally, the International Summer Luge Cup was accompanied by an entertaining program for the whole family on the track at Lindenberg with live music, autograph sessions with the well-known luge stars Julia Taubitz (GER), Natalie Maag (SUI), Hannah Prock, David Gleirscher (both AUT) and Max Langenhahn (GER) as well as face painting for children, a bouncy castle and information and participation booths. Of course, a selection of beverages and Thuringian sausages were also part of the family program.

photos: Sven Schmutzler