Latsch (ck) - “I did not see myself as the favourite and I really cannot believe it yet”, said the new Junior World Champion Alexandra Obrist, who had outperformed her Italian team mates. “This title has been my biggest goal this year, now I will try to qualify for the world cup final in Umhausen.” When the season is over, she will have another goal, she will graduate from high school and get her degree in social professions. If she will continue her luge career is unclear: “I don’t know if and where I will go to university. Once I have made this decision, I will think about my sports career and see whether I can combine both. In front of a huge fan crowd Greta Pinggera (ITA) won the silver medal: “It was almost like racing at home. I am mentally not very strong and I never would have thought that I can win this medal. But before the last run I said to myself that I can do that and I am totally satisfied with the result.” Not almost at home but really at home was Sara Bachmann (ITA) who claimed the third spot on the podium: “It was very, very difficult to race at home. I made a huge mistake yesterday in the first run and almost crashed. I hurt my elbow and could not sleep well. I had some pain and was nervous. I am so happy that eventually I finished third.” Up to expectations performed Alex Gruber (ITA) and won his title with three fastest run times. “I tried not to get too much into it, I knew all I needed was three runs without problems. So I did three pretty relaxed runs and it went really well.” But he also adds: “I have been working for this title the whole year and it means a lot to me. Patrick and Hannes have also won this title and now they are at the very top” and refers to Patrick Pigneter and Hannes Clara (both ITA) who are currently the men to beat in the world cup. Runner up was Dominik Holzknecht (AUT) who spoilt Italy’s clean sweep of winning all six medals. Holzknecht was the most successful athlete of the Championships with his gold medal in the doubles’ event and now the silver medal. His planning goes as far ahead as his junior age: “As long as we are juniors which is until next year’s European Championships, we want to focus on doubles and singles and try to be successful in both categories. Then we will see where we do better and maybe specialize.” For this season he has one more goal: “Qualify for the World Cup final in Umhausen and show my best sliding.” The bronze medal went to the only 16-year-old Martin Kerschbaumer (ITA) who gave his debut in the Italian team in last year’s European Junior Championships in Laas, not far from Latsch. “In Laas I really did not do well, so it was very important for me to achieve a good result here this year. I have worked hard for it and it was really difficult, but thank God it went well”, said the student of a commercial high school in Brixen. “I don’t have any problems at school, so I can manage both, school and luge.” Some of the juniors will go to Russia next week to compete in the World Cup, but most of the athletes who raced this weekend, will have to wait and maybe qualify for the world cup final in Umhausen (AUT) where due to another test of the new competition format with World Cup and Nation’s Cup more participants are allowed. Final Result Junior Women (21): 1. Alexandra OBRIST (ITA), 1:04,34(2), 1:03,95(1), 1:03,96(1), 3:12,25 2. Greta PINGGERA (ITA), 1:04,28(1), 1:04,22(2), 1:04,62(3), 3:13,12 3. Sara BACHMANN (ITA), 1:05,50(4), 1:04,63(3), 1:04,12 (2), 3:14,25 4. Carmen PLANÖTSCHER (ITA), 1:05,38(3), 1:05,25(5), 1:05,58(4), 3:16,21 5. Daria MALEEVA (RUS), 1:07,66(7), 1:06,82(6), 1:06,10(5), 3:20,58 6. Ljubov STARIKOVA (RUS), 1:08,25(9), 1:07,01(7), 1:07,17(7), 3:22,43 7. Sabrina PIMPL (AUT), 3:23,49 8. Michelle DIEPOLD (AUT), 3:24,59 9. Martina ROWOLD (GER), 3:24,96 10. Michaela NIEMETZ (GER), 3:25,57 14. Sam STIRRETT (CAN), 1:12,31(16), 1:12,76(15), 1:11,70(15), 3:36,77 Final Result Junior Men (27): 1. Alex GRUBER (ITA), 1:03,01(1), 1:02,96(1), 1:02,84(1), 3:08,81 2. Dominik HOLZKNECHT (AUT), 1:03,72(2), 1:03,33(2), 1:03,27(2), 3:10,32 3. Martin KERSCHBAUMER (ITA), 1:04,00(3), 1:03,84(3), 1:03,75(3), 3:11,59 4. Christoph REGENSBURGER (AUT), 1:04,63(5), 1:04,49(4), 1. 04,41(6), 3:13,53 5. Tobias MAIR (ITA), 1:04,83(7),1:04,74(6), 1:04,75(9), 3:14,32 6. Lukasz GORYL (POL), 1:05,07(8), 1:04,65(5), 1:04,67(8), 3:14,39 7. Dominik PROFANTER (ITA), 3:14,49 8. Armin FOLIE (ITA), 3:14,73 9. Thomas UNTERHOLZNER (ITA), 3:16.04 10. Gregori BUKIN (RUS), 3:16,86 21. Liam SIMMONS (CAN), 1.10,02(21), 1:10,56(21), 1:11,10(23), 3:31,68