Koenigssee (pps) The first titles in the 2003-2004 Viessmann Luge World Cup have been determined. Thanks to his second place at Igls, Austria, last weekend, Italy’s Olympic champion Armin Zoeggeler has won the men’s event even before the final at Koenigssee, Germany, on the coming weekend (January 31-February 1). The 30-year-old World champion has 586 points and cannot be overtaken by the two Germans, Georg Hackl (475) and David Moeller (471).

After the fourth win in the fourth race, the team of the Bobsleigh and Luge Federation for Germany, BSD, and maximum points of 400, is leading the team event prior to the last race on the occasion of the World Championships at Nagano, Japan in mid-February. The second-placed Italian team (300) can only succeed in equalising BSD team’s points if Germany does not gain any points at all at Nagano.

Germany’s 2002 Olympic champion Sylke Otto is on the right road to win her fourth overall Viessmann World Cup gold medal since 1995, 2000 and 2003. She is leading with 655 points after her fourth win in the 7th Viessmann World Cup event last weekend at Igls, Aus-tria. 73 points are a comfortable lead towards team-mate Silke Kraushaar (582). “I don’t take any congratulations yet for winning the overall World Cup. A lot can still happen”, Sylke Otto said.

The situation in the doubles is completely different. Prior to the last World Cup event, Germany’s Olympic champions Patric Leitner and Alexander Resch are leading with 528 points, followed by former World champions and German team-mates Andre Florschuetz and Torsten Wustlich (514) and Italy’s Christian Oberstolz and Patrick Gruber (490). “We have the best chance to achieve the overall victory”, Patric Leitner said. The 1999 and 2000 World champions can gain their second World Cup title since 2002 on their home-track at Koenigssee next weekend.