The Junior World Cup in natural track luge concluded on Sunday in Winterleiten (AUT) with two first-time winners. The race on the 940-metre-long track in Styria marked the opening of the 2024/2025 European Championship season.

Winterleiten (FIL/29.12.2024) There were no surprises in the men’s singles. Alex Oberhofer (ITA), the overall winner of the previous season, set the fastest time in both runs and claimed a clear victory in 2:00.59 minutes, finishing ahead of Ziga Kralj (SLO/+0.99 seconds). Oberhofer and Kralj repeated their result from last year’s race in Winterleiten. Anton Gruber Genetti (ITA) secured third place, 1.70 seconds behind.

(from left) Ziga Kralj (SLO), Alex Oberhofer (ITA) and Anton Gruber Genetti (ITA)

In contrast, there was a surprise winner in the women’s singles: Nina Castiglioni (ITA), the younger sister of World Cup athlete Jenny Castiglioni (ITA), celebrated her first Junior World Cup victory. The 14-year-old achieved the fastest time in both runs (total time 2:04.27 minutes), beating her teammate Lotte Mulser (ITA/+0.61 seconds) and her elder sister Jenny (+1.03 seconds). Nina Castiglioni had previously made an impression as a fourth-place finisher in the Junior World Cup final in 2024 in Umhausen (AUT).

(from left) Lotte Mulser (ITA), Nina and Jenny Castiglioni (ITA)

The second debut victory in Winterleiten came on Saturday in the doubles event: The Slovakian duo Gabriel Halcin and Samuel Halcin claimed their first-ever podium-topping finish in 1:06.68 minutes, ahead of Anton Gruber Genetti/Jakob Gruber Genetti (ITA/+0.58) and the Polish pair Wojciech Kwiecinski/Patryk Hudy (+3.97).

(from left) Jakob Gruber Genetti/Anton Gruber Genetti (ITA), Samuel Halcin/Gabriel Halcin (SVK) and Patryk Hudy/Wojciech Kwiecinski (POL)

After the New Year, the Junior World Cup in natural track luge continues on January 3rd/4th 2025 in Passeier/Val Passiria (ITA).