Vatra Dornei (ck) - Russia claimed 5 of the possible 12 medals in the four events which had all been finalized today, Saturday. The weather-forecast had warned that it might start raining on Sunday which would have been the final end to the already wet and soft track. However, the track staff had worked miracles and so it had been possible to hold all four events over the original length of the track without any shortenings. Just the single races had been reduced to two runs and the doubles’ race to one run. Aleksei Martianov (RUS) won the men’s title due to a glowing second run. The student from Kandalaksha had been ranked sixth after the first run which had been held on Friday under colder conditions with a track less wet and soft as today. Leader after the first run and eventual silver medallist Florian Markt (AUT) struggled with the conditions: “I did not start in the world cup where the track conditions were similar to today, so it took me a while to get used to it”, said the 15-year-old student who attends a technical highschool in Telfs. “But my expectations were more than exceeded, my goal was a top ten result”, said Florian Markt who started natural track luge four years ago. Fellow Tyrolian, also at home in the Ötztal, Thomas Hörburger (AUT) was happy about his bronze medal: “My goal was top five finish, but after the first run I started to hope for the podium”, said the 18-year-old who took up the sport together with Florian Markt. Two well-known and one new face could be seen on the women’s podium. Greta Pinggera (ITA) used all her experience and won the title with two fastest run times. “I am sure it made a difference that I have more experience than most of the others”, said Pinggera who already achieved seven podium finished in the senior’s world cup. “But a mistake is quickly made which could be seen last year in the European Junior Championships where I was the top title contender and then finished third, so I am really, really happy with this title today.” The soft track conditions were no disadvantage for her: “I like soft surfaces where you need a lot of feeling to take the speed out of the curves.” Runner up was Carmen Planötscher (ITA), also a world cup experienced athlete who even has one world cup win to her record. “My goal was a medal but after the first run this did not look good at all, so I took full risk in the second and I am glad it worked.” Michelle Diepold (AUT) finished third, but only after the first run she dared to think of a possible medal. “My goal was a top five result, but after the first run I started hoping that I could actually make the podium”, said the 17-year-old student from Leoben. In the doubles race the Russians finished with a clean sweep which coach Andrei Knyr observed with satisfaction: “This is great, so we have a lot of athletes lined up for the national team for the worldcup. Most of these athletes are still students and will be juniors for another two years.” Egor Dorofeev/Victor Zakharchenko from Kandalaksha and Andrei Shcheglov/Vadim Korolev from Bratsk have already won medals in last year’s European Junior Championships. The team Russia I could also not be defeated in the team event, even though neither Lubov Starikova, nor Aleksei Martianov nor Egor Dorofeev/Victor Zakharchenko achieved the fastest times in their runs. But overall they finished just ahead of Italy with Greta Pinggera, Armin Folie and Matteo Agnesod/Ylenia Sarteur. “For us this medal is a great consolation for the medal we did not win in the doubles race where we finished fourth”, said Agnesod/Sarteur from Val d’Aosta. A historical medal won Germany with a brand new and young team. Martina Rowold gave her premiere as a doubleseater and cann see herself doing this in future: “It was a totally new experience and I really enjoyed it. If I have a say, I will definitely continue doubleseater sliding.” Theresa Maurer laid the basis for the medal with her second fastest run time and was left speechless: “This is just beyond words, I never would have thought that we can win a medal.” The fastest run time among the men was not scored by one of the medallists, but by Isa Guezeloglu, who finished fifth with his team Turkey I. Final Results Junior WCH Men (32): 1. Aleksei MARTIANOV (RUS), 1:17,50(6), 1:18,67(1), 2:36,17 2. Florian MARKT (AUT), 1:16,15(1), 1:20,14(5), 2:36,29 3. Thomas HÖRBURGER (AUT), 1:17,09 (3), 1:19,47(4), 2:36,56 4. Armin FOLIE (ITA), 1:17,27(3), 1:19,40 (3), 2:36,67 5. Isa GUEZELOGLU (TUR), 1:18,01(7), 1:18,96(2), 2:36,97 6. Egor DOROFEEV (RUS), 1:17,28(5), 1:21,58(7), 2:38,86 Final Results Junior WCH Women (23): 1. Greta PINGGERA (ITA), 1:15,69(1), 1:19,92(1), 2:35,61 2. Carmen PLANÖTSCHER (ITA), 1:17,24(5), 1:20,53(3), 2:37,77 3. Michelle DIEPOLD (AUT), 1:17,03(3), 1:21,64(5), 2:38,67 4. Sara BACHMANN (ITA), 1:18,01(6), 1:20,90(4), 2:38,91 5. Maria AUER (AUT), 1:16,84(2), 1:22,23(8), 2:39,07 6. Lubov STARIKOVA (RUS), 1:18,85(8), 1:20,52(2), 2:39,37 Final Results Junior WCH Doubles (11): 1. Egor DOROFEEV/Victor ZAKHARCHENKO (RUS), 1:29,02 2. Andrei SHCHEGLOV/Vadim KOROLEV (RUS), 1:29,38 3. Aleksei MARTIANOV/Nikita TARASOV (RUS), 1:29,81 4. Matteo AGNESOD/Ylenia SARTEUR (ITA), 1:31,86 5. Tadej DRAGICEVIC/Petra DRAGICEVIC (SLO), 1:32,05 6. Josef LIMMER/Martina ROWOLD (GER), 1:32,47 Final Results Junior WCH Team (8): 1. Russia I (Lubov STARIKOVA, Aleksei MARTIANOV, Egor DOROFEEV/Victor ZAKHARCHENKO) 4:30,88 2. Italy (Greta PINGGERA, Armin FOLIE, Matteo AGNESOD/Ylenia SARTEUR) 4:31,00 3. Germany (Theresa MAURER, Marius SCHMELZER, Josef LIMMER/Martina ROWOLD) 4:33,89 4. Russia II (Daria MALEEVA, Jakov BUKIN, Andrei SHCHEGLOV/Vadim KOROLEV) 4:35,13 5. Turkey I (Asuman BAYRAK, Isa GUEZELOGLU. M. Emi DELLALBASI/M. Sait OZCAN) 4:39,50