Berchtesgaden (pps) The most successful luger of all times,
Georg Hackl from Berchtesgaden, has ultimately put his steel
runners aside after having collected a total of 35 medals at
Olympic Games, World and European Championships. But even
without the record winner in the men’s event, who captured 33
victories just like Austria’s Markus Prock, the Viessmann Luge
World Cup has lost nothing of its attraction.
So far 185 events on 19 different tracks were carried out. And
now, at the 30
th
Viessmann World Cup edition in the 2006-07
season, a further nine events on three continents are on the
programme. The opener will take place at the 2006 Olympic
track in Cesana Pariol, Italy, on November 18-19, the last event
will be carried out in Sigulda/Latvia. Apart from the Viessmann
Luge World Cup, four SUZUKI Challenge Cup events and a
further four Team Competitions are scheduled on the 2006-07
Calendar.
The tracks themselves are becoming more and more attractive:
After extensive renovations the tracks in Oberhof and
Winterberg (both Germany) present themselves in a totally new
look. With expenses of approximately ten million Euro, the
Olympic track in Igls/Austria, venue of the 39
th
FIL World
Championships on February 2-4, 2007, has obtained a futuristic
appearance. At present, the future track for the 2010 Olympic
Winter Games in Vancouver is being built in Whistler Mountain
and shall be ready for use in the autumn of 2008 at the latest.
Additionally, the construction of two artificially-iced tracks in
Russia – one outside of Moscow, the other in Sotchi on the
Black Sea – is virtually certain.
Furthermore, during the 30
th
World Cup 2006-07 season the
International Luge Federation, FIL, will celebrate its 50
th
anniversary on the occasion of the 55
th
annual Congress in
Innsbruck on June 22-23, 2007.