Theoretically, Germany cannot be defeated any more
Cesana (pps) The new World champion in the Team Relay Event has already been determined prior to the (penultimate) race. Concluding the 42nd World Championships of the International Luge Federation, FIL, on Sunday (January 30, 2011 / 10:20 hrs), defending champions Germany hope to achieve the “title hat-trick” after their success at the World Championship première of the Team Relay in Oberhof in 2008. The black-red-gold quartet of Germany’s head coach Norbert Loch claimed the pole position and thereby the premature victory in the Viessmann Team Relay World Cup presented by Money Service Group thanks to five wins in five of altogether six relay events.
Nevertheless there are always some doubts... Because, every now and then, the Team Relay Event is full of surprises. In 2008 for instance, Latvia’s relay team surprisingly captured the title at the European Championships – in Cesana, by the way. At that time all luge specialists listed Germany as the top favourite – but they completely missed out on a medal. Team Austria took the silver medal and hosts Italy secured bronze. Actually, Latvia’s quartet repeated their victory at the Europeans in front of a home crowd two years later, when Germany had to make do with a third place behind Austria.
Since the première of the Team Relay Event on January 7, 2007 on the artificially-iced track in Koenigssee, a total of five nations have claimed the title. With the start of the season, the Team Relay Event boasts World Cup status. In the previous years, the team relay was carried out under different patronages. Apart from Germany and two-time European champion Latvia, these were the teams from Austria and Canada, who took the title in Innsbruck-Igls in the Olympic season, as well as the US team. Austria won one relay event in the 2007-2008 season in Winterberg as well as one year later in Innsbruck-Igls. The US team claimed the victory on their home track in Lake Placid in 2007-2008.
But the athletes are not only thrilled about the variety in the Team Relay Event. “It’s simply great fun”, said Austria’s Olympic silver medallist Nina Reithmayer. And Olympic champion Tatjana Huefner added: “I hope to always qualify for the Team Relay Event. In my eyes it’s simply a great competition. Not only for the athletes, but for spectators and the media alike”.
At the 42nd FIL Luge World Championships a delegation of the International Olympic Committee, IOC, will closely observe the Team Relay Event. IOC President Jacques Rogge has the personal mandate to make a final ruling with regard to the inclusion into the program of Olympic Winter Games. The “Lord of the Rings” has announced his visit at the final of the Team Relay World Cup presented by Money Service Group in Sigulda, Latvia, on February 20, 2011 (start at 13:00 hrs local time). It is expected that the final decision will be taken in April 2011.
