19 nations to compete on the track of the 2006 Olympic Games
Cesana (pps) Weather forecasts for Sunday predict a beautiful and sunny day in Cesana. Perfect conditions, as it seems, for the absolute highlight at the 42nd World Championships of the International Luge Federation, FIL
- the decision in the Team Relay Event. For the third time, the attractive relay event will be carried out at FIL Luge World Championships. In Cesana, the event will moreover be facing its “fitness test”. A high-ranking delegation of the International Olympic Committee, IOC, will closely observe the event and thus determine its Olympic “fitness” on Sunday (January 30, 2011 / start at 10:20 hrs local time). In April, IOC President Jacques Rogge will then make a final ruling – he has the personal mandate – as to the inclusion of the Team Relay Event into the program of Olympic Winter Games.
A total of 19 nations will compete on the track of the 2006 Olympic Winter Games. Apart from the medals in the Team Relay Event, the International Luge Federation will determine the new luge World champions in the Olympic disciplines women’s singles (January 29 / start at 08:15 hrs local time), men’s singles (January 29 / start at 15:20 hrs local time) and in the doubles’. For the first time the two doubles’ runs will be carried out on two days (January 29 / start 1st run at 19:00 hrs and January 30 / start 2nd run at 09:00 hrs local time)
Top medal contender in the women’s singles is Germany’s Tatjana Huefner: six victories in seven events of the Viessmann Luge World Cup series truly speak for themselves. Greatest rival of the two-time World champion seems to be compatriot and Olympic bronze medallist Natalie Geisenberger who achieved her so far only career title at the 2008 Europeans in Cesana. In the men’s singles luge experts expect an exciting duel between “old hand” Armin Zoeggeler of Italy, two-time Olympic as well as five-time World champion, versus “shooting star” Felix Loch of Germany, 2010 Olympic as well as 2008 and 2009 World champion. The following three teams are the top medal contenders in the doubles’: Andreas Linger-Wolfgang Linger of Austria, 2006 and 2010 Olympic champions; Italy’s Christian Oberstolz-Patrick Gruber, European champions in 2008 in Cesana; and last but not least overall World Cup leaders Tobias Wendl-Tobias Arlt of Germany.
With the 42nd FIL Luge World Championships Italy’s sole artificially-iced track has “come full circle”, having hosted all major luge events – the 2006 Olympic Winter Games, the 2008 European Championships and the final of the Viessmann Luge World Cup in the 2009-2010 season.
