Erfurt (pps) Their comeback in sight, the FIL Luge World Championships in mind and already a vision of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games: André Florschuetz-Torsten Wustlich, three-time World champions and 2006 Olympic silver medallists in the double-seater, will celebrate their comeback in the Viessmann Luge World Cup in Oberhof next weekend. They intend to show a good performance with their sights already set on the 41st FIL Luge World Championships (February 6-8, 2009) in Lake Placid. And as an icing on the cake, they hope to take a second Olympic medal in Vancouver, Canada, in 2010 to end their active career.
„The track seems to be tailor-made for us”, said André Florschuetz, who had to undergo surgery on November 21, 2008 because of slipped disc. “Sylke Otto needed surgery on exactly the same spot. And afterwards she was even better than ever before”, explained Thomas Schwab, long-time head coach of the German lugers and now Secretary General and Sports Director of the German Bobsleigh and Sled Sports Federation, BSD. Even three-time Olympic champion Georg Hackl of Germany had to undergo spinal disc surgery in the autumn 1996. Exactly 100 days later Hackl took his third World Championship title in Innsbruck-Igls.
Now, Florschuetz-Wustlich are hoping for a similar development as Sylke Otto and Georg Hackl once experienced. Right after surgery, Florschuetz started a physiotherapy programme followed by rehabilitation training. In the meantime, his colleague Torsten Wustlich completed individual training sessions and even started in the men’s singles at the Nations Cup in Winterberg. For two weeks now, the 2001, 2005 and 2008 World Champions are back together on the sled. André Florschuetz estimates their chances quite realistically: “We’ll surely have some deficits at the start. This is why we don’t know yet where we stand. But there are no problems with regard to the material. Personally, I’m highly motivated.”
Additionally, the doubles’ team has the World Championships in Lake Placid in mind. “The national coach has already indicated that we will start, provided we are in shape. The fact that we have the most experience on this track will of course have played a role”, commented André Florschuetz. And Torsten Wustlich added: “We like the track in Lake Placid and we feel comfortable there.”
And finally the two lugers also have a vision of the Olympic Games in Vancouver. André Florschuetz: „Irrespective of a possible start at the Worlds we want to compete at the World Cup stop in Canada in order to get as much practice as possible on the track”. Their goal: to grab another Olympic medal. And then they intend to end their active career, on February 17, 2010 to be precise. But the two lugers will remain faithful to the sport of luge since both will start studies at “Trainerakademie” in Cologne.
