Kühtai (pma) - Last year overall World Cup winners are back on top of the podium at the first GRM Group Luge World Cup on Natural track. Kühtai in Tyrol opened the season with a parallel race. The Ladies Event was won by Russian Ekatharina Lawrentjewa. She won her 50th World Cup race in her career, but her first at a parallel event. Runner-up in the Final was Greta Pinggera from Italy. Small final was won by Austrian Tina Unterberger, who was the fastest qualifier. Men’s Race ended with an Italian Triple. Patrick Pigneter won the race, Florian Clara was the runner-up. Together they won yesterday’s Doubles event. Their teammate Florian Breitenberger completed the Italian podium. Fourth and fifth place went to Austria, Thomas Schopf and Michael Scheikl, who was the fastest qualifier. The Nation's Cup was won by Austrian Florian Glatzl, Italian Sara Bachmann and Russian Double Kovshik/Tarasov. Elizabeth Driver from Great Britain won the Small Final and scored a surprising third place. Second event of the GRM Group Luge World Cup on Natural Track is placed in Laas (ITA) and held from 2nd to 4th January. STATEMENTS: Patrick Pigneter (ITA): “To start a season with two World Cup wins is great. I was very happy before the final because my doubles partner Florian scored his first podium.” Florian Clara (ITA): „I’m very glad because of my first Single World Cup podium. It was a heavy weekend. Patrick and I had to do the most runs of all the competitors.” Florian Breitenberger (ITA) „I’m one of the experienced riders in the field. I love parallel races. The track in Kühtai was the most challenging parallel course in World Cup history.“ Ekatharina Lawrentjewa (RUS): „To score fifty World Cup wins is amazing and unbelievable, but it is also my first parallel race win.” Greta Pinggera (ITA): „To participate in the finale is like a win for me. I was lucky today, but luck is a deciding factor at parallel races.” Tina Unterberger (AUT): „Sadly, I missed the final today. A podium is great but I wanted to win in front of my home crowd. The event is amazing for the athletes and the spectators.”