Comeback with three World Cup globes, four nations win and rookies thrill in doubles 2020/21

Berchtesgaden (FIL) The 2020/21 pre-Olympic season in the doubles' discipline was thrilled by the brilliant comeback of Thomas Steu after his tibia and fibula fracture last winter. Although the athlete from Vorarlberg in Austria was not yet fully fit to compete, as the 25 screws and two plates will not be removed from his leg until 2 March 2021 after 13 months, he and his Tyrolean doubles partner Lorenz Koller impressed with the first overall victory in the EBERSPÄCHER World Cup for Austria since the 2011/12 season. The two thus followed in the footsteps of the Tyrolean Linger brothers. In a total of twelve World Cup races Steu/Koller were only three times not on the podium, but they took four victories and all three World Cup globes. The two small crystal globes for the sprint and the doubles World Cup as well as the big Joska trophy for the overall World Cup of all twelve competitions.

At the World Championships in Königssee, Bavaria, of all places, the most consistent doubles team of the Coronavirus winter only managed sixth place. The Germans Toni Eggert and Sascha Benecken secured the World Championship title for the fourth time in a row. With four gold and three silver medals, the duo is now the most successful doubles team at World Championships. The previous leaders Patric Leitner and Alexander Resch had also won four titles, but only one silver and one bronze medal. Eggert/Benecken had a thrilling duel with their German team-mates Tobias Wendl and Tobias Arlt, who secured the silver medal. The Olympic Champions had won the title of Sprint World Champions the day before. Third place at the World Championships went to the European Champions, the Latvian brothers Andris and Juris Sics. Latvia stood on the World Cup podium a total of seven times in the 43rd World Cup winter of luge and won two bronze medals at the 50th FIL World Championships.

Two of the podium places, including even a victory at the final of the EBERSPÄCHER World Cup in St. Moritz, came from the "rookies of the year" Martins Bots and Roberts Plume.  At the latest after their third place, their first World Cup podium, on their home track in Sigulda, the two 20- and 21-year-old newcomers were on the radar of the world's best. At the season finale in the Olympic Bob Run in St. Moritz-Celerina, the U-23 European Champions pulled off the big surprise. The young Latvians won their first World Cup race ahead of their compatriots Andris and Juris Sics and thrilled everyone with their strong first World Cup season. 

As the fourth nation in the EBERSPÄCHER World Cup, Italy with Ludwig Rieder and Patrick Rastner convinced in the pre-Olympic winter with a victory in Innsbruck and three podium places. For 29-year-old Ludwig Rieder and 27-year-old Patrick Rastner it was their first ever World Cup victory. In total, the two have been on the World Cup podium five times in their careers. At the World Championships, the experienced duo from South Tyrol came fifth.