(es) - New Zealand’s preparations for the luge winter are at their peak. The track will be opened depending on the weather on June 2nd and will most probably stay open until August 26th. Coach Guntis Rekis will return just in time for the season opening. While it was summer in New Zealand, Rekis worked with the Canadian Junior Luge athletes. “Guntis is going to arrive in New Zealand with his wife on 22 May”, Geoff Balme, president of the New Zealand Olympic Luge Association, is looking forward to the third season of collaboration with the Latvian. The highlight this winter is not only the newly installed floodlights: Patrick Pigneter (ITA), World Champion (2009), seven times Overall World Cup winner and serial winner in the World Cup, will spend three weeks in New Zealand in July. Balme is looking forward to Pigneter’s visit: “It will be great to have an athlete of Patrick’s ability and experience to teach us more about natural luge.” Pigneter will work as a coach in the children’s camps at the beginning of July. “We offer a special Luge Camp for children aged 8 and older and our so called Ice Camp where children can learn ice-skateing, luge and curling”, Balme explains the rites in New Zealand. “The preparations are really at their peak.” So nothing’s going to prevent this luge season from being a great one.