Altenberg (pps) In December 2009 Germany’s Felix Loch celebrated his very first Viessmann LugeWorld Cup victory on the track in Altenberg; in February 2012 the 23-year old then claimed his third World Championship title, again in Altenberg. And at the third stop of the Viessmann Luge World Cup the Olympic Champion earned his second World Cup victory this season in the Eastern Ore Mountains. In the first run Loch improved the track record to 53.395 seconds; after both runs he claimed his 12th individual World Cup victory with a winning margin of 0.205 seconds.
European Champion Andi Langenhan (Germany), who won the World Cup in Koenigssee last weekend, earned a second-place finish. Loch’s other teammate Johannes Ludwig, who had improved the track record to 53.429 seconds in the first run ahead of Loch, then dropped to third place in the second run. Ludwig is still waiting for his first World Cup success. Loch is currently leading the overall Viessmann Luge World Cup rankings with 285 points ahead of Langenhan (245) and Ludwig (225).
Quotes
Felix Loch (GER / 2010 Olympic and three-time World Champion)
“I’ve made one or two little mistakes in the first run. The second run was really very good. Well, the track in Altenberg seems to be made for me, no doubt about it. The conditions here are very good, my set-up was fine – so it was just up to me to take the victory.”
Andi Langenhan (GER / 2012 European Champion) “Honestly – I’ve always been a bit afraid of the Altenberg track.
I’m really pleased with second place. Even a third place would have been fine with me.”
Johannes Ludwig (GER / World Championship 4th-placed)
“After the first run I flirted a bit with the idea of earning my first victory today. It was close. Well, one day it’ll work out