All World Champions also lead the Viessmann World Cup standings in Sochi

Sochi (RWH) With the World Championships decided and the European Championships just around the corner, the Viessmann World Cup is due to reach Sochi in Russia this weekend in between this winter’s two major title fights – the 46th FIL World Championships in Königssee (GER) last weekend, and the 47th FIL European Championships in Altenberg (GER) the weekend after next. The 10th of 12 events staged in the 2015/2016 winter season is due to be held on the Olympic track in the Sanki Sliding Center.

All the World Champions crowned in Königssee travel to the Black Sea coast at the top of the Viessmann World Cup standings, except in the team relay standings which are currently headed by Latvia, the World Championship runners-up in Königssee. Olympic gold medallist Natalie Geisenberger (GER) currently has 680 points, giving her a clear margin over her teammate Dajana Eitberger (608) and America’s Summer Britcher (603). In the men’s event, Felix Loch has 690 points and is being pursued by Wolfgang Kindl (600), who claimed third in Königssee, and Chris Mazdzer (USA/511), who had to settle for two fourth place finishes in Königssee. In doubles, the Olympic Champions Tobias Wendl/Tobias Arlt (767) currently lead their compatriots Toni Eggert/Sascha Benecken (730). The Austrians Peter Penz/Georg Fischler (665) lie third.

The team relay will be the fourth of six races in Sochi.  As front-runners in the Viessmann Team Relay World Cup presented by BMW, the Latvians currently have 255 points and lead World Champions Germany (246) and the US team (210).