Anna Berreiter, Loch, Wendl/Arlt and Degenhardt/Rosenthal German Champions in Oberhof
Oberhof (FIL-BSD/30 Dec 2022) At the German Championships on Friday, December 30, 2022, the German team used the opportunity to prepare on the newly rebuilt World Championships track for the 51st FIL World Championships to be held in four weeks. Anna Berreiter, Felix Loch, Tobias Wendl / Tobias Arlt as well as Jessica Degenhardt / Cheyenne Rosenthal secured the national championship titles.
German champion in men's singles was Felix Loch. For the 33-year-old it is the 14th German championship’s gold of his career: "It was a very good training for the World Championships, we could use the time again. Hopefully there will be snow at the end of January so that we have a bit more winter for the World Championships. I'm now looking forward to the next two weeks and then of course to the World Championships, where we can hopefully compete for the medals."
German vice champion was Max Langenhan. For the local hero from Thuringia it was the comeback after his hand injury and the cancellation of the first three World Cup stations. The 23-year-old came back all the stronger on his home track. Third went to Timon Grancagnolo, who had shown good World Cup results in the first half of the season.
In the women's event, Anna Berreiter secured the title. The 23-year-old won her very first World Cup race in Oberhof in 2020, two years later she now claimed her first national title. "I made up with Oberhof again today. In the preparation I had two falls here, after all. Today those were good runs and start times and I am also very happy with that. Nevertheless, I do not set this title quite so high for me, because in January at the World Championships there will be many other situations and athletes. But it's a good sign for me that I can ski consistent runs here and it gives me a good feeling." Last year Julia Taubitz had taken the German championship title in Altenberg, today the 26-year-old finished second behind Berreiter. Cheyenne Rosenthal won bronze.
In men's doubles Tobias Wendl and Tobias Arlt set a strong sign towards the World Championships. The Berchtesgaden duo won German championship’s gold, here they had also celebrated the very first championship title of their career in 2011. "We had very difficult conditions today, but were able to create good conditions for ourselves with our fast start and then brought it down. We really enjoy racing here and are in a positive mood for the World Cup," concluded Wendl, who is in front. "You can just see the sports enthusiasm in Oberhof. Even if it is only German Championships in quotation marks, hundreds of fans are here today and that will certainly be a great backdrop at the end of January," notes backdriver Arlt.
German Vice-Champions were the local heroes Toni Eggert and Sascha Benecken ahead of the Thuringians Hannes Orlamünder and Paul Gubitz.
In women's doubles Jessica Degenhardt and Cheyenne Rosenthal won, ahead of Elisa Storch and Elia Reitmeier. "We made another good progress this week, that was very important that we could use this 'World Cup rehearsal'. Of course, we hope that it will then be a little colder and wintry at the World Championships. We now feel well prepared and confident", was Jessica Degenhardt's conclusion.
In the final team relay the quartet around Dajana Eitberger, Felix Loch (DM title number 15) as well as Tobias Wendl and Tobias Arlt won. The Thuringian team with Julia Taubitz, Max Langenhan and Eggert/Benecken finished second, ahead of Berreiter, Bley and Orlamünder/Gubitz in third place.
photo: Sven Schmutzler
