Calgary (RWH) At the start of the post-Olympic season, the Viessmann World Cup is as colourful as a Christmas tree. Eight athletes have made it onto the list of winners in the 15 individual races so far, and seven nations have made it onto the podium at least once. And despite the retirement of outstanding lugers Armin Zöggeler (ITA), Albert Demchenko (RUS), or the Linger brothers Andreas and Wolfgang (AUT) in the doubles, the International Luge Federation’s elite race series has lost none of its brilliance. On the contrary, three newcomers have already made their way straight to the top, with US lugers Tucker West and Chris Mazdzer winning the men’s event in Lake Placid and the FIL Sprint World Cup in Calgary, and Sam Edney with Canada’s first ever victory in a Viessmann World Cup in the men’s singles. Austria’s Wolfgang Kindl, former Junior World Champion, who came a brilliant second at Mount Van Hoevenberg. Felix Loch of Germany, who won the Olympics in 2010 and 2014, has three World Championship titles, and has come first in the overall Viessmann World Cup standings just as often, is faced with unexpected competition. A new face has also been seen on the women’s podium. Canada’s Arianne Jones seized the moment and raced to third on her home track in Canada Olympic Park (COP). Despite the double challenge posed by studies combined with sport, her compatriot Alex Gough came second in her comeback race and first in the FIL Sprint event. And the euphoria of a bronze medal at the Olympics carried America’s Erin Hamlin through to a second in the Lake Placid Viessmann World Cup and the FIL Sprint in Calgary. In the doubles, the two German duos of Toni Eggert and Sascha Benecken and Olympic Champions and defending titleholders Tobias Wendl and Tobias Arlt are involved in a gripping duel, while any number of candidates are fighting for the remaining places on the podium. At the opening race in Innsbruck-Igls, Russia’s Vladislav Yuzhakov and Vladimir Prokhorov came second. In Lake Placid, Peter Penz and Georg Fischler of Austria came third in a repeat of their performance in the FIL Sprint in Igls. And in Calgary it was local heroes Tristan Walker and Justin Snith who took third place, followed by Latvia’s Andris and Juris Šics the following day in the sprint.