At the World Cup in Deutschnofen/Nova Ponente (ITA) at the end of January, the green light was given for the change of the World Championships in natural track luge from Vatra Dornei (ROU) to Deutschnofen/Nova Ponente. This weekend (09-12 February) the 24th World Championships in Natural Track luge will take place on the "Pföslriep"-track.

View from the start at the "Pföslriep"-track

Deutschnofen/Nova Ponente (FIL/08.02.2023) Due to the thaw in January, the organizers in Vatra Dornei (ROU) were unable to prepare a race-ready track at the 2017 World Championship venue. Thus, Deutschnofen/Nova Ponente (ITA) jumped in at short notice, exactly 10 years after the 2013 World Champioships, the "Pföslriep“-track is again the scene of the title fights.
In the women's singles, defending champion Evelin Lanthaler (ITA) is the biggest favorite for gold. The serial winner in the World Cup currently has three World Championship gold medals. Other medal contenders are Tina Unterberger (AUT), Greta Pinggera (ITA), local hero Daniela Mittermair (ITA). Also keep on the sheet Lisa Walch (GER) and Nadine Staffler (ITA), who have outsider chances.

In the men's singles, at least four athletes are among the favorites for the World Championship title: World Cup leader Alex Gruber (ITA) is the record holder with six victories on the "Pföslriep"-track, defending champion Thomas Kammerlander (AUT) is free to attack at his last World Championship (Kammerlander ends his career after the finale, editor's note), Michael Scheikl (AUT) is only missing the World Championship title after overall victory in 2021 and European Championship gold in 2020, and veteran Patrick Pigneter (ITA) won the World Cup in Deutschnofen/Nova Ponente in January and showed that at the age of 35 he is far from being rusty. The extended circle of favorites includes Florian Clara (ITA), Junior European Champion Fabian Brunner (ITA) and Florian Markt (AUT).

In the doubles, everything boils down to a thrilling duel between Patrick Lambacher/Matthias Lambacher (ITA) and Patrick Pigneter/Florian Clara (ITA). While Lambacher/Lambacher won the first four races of the season, the defending champions Pigneter/Clara fought back on the “Pföslriep” almost two weeks ago and celebrated their 66th World Cup victory.

All runs will be broadcast live on the homepage of the International Luge Federation FIL at www.fil-luge.org.

All-time leaderboard World Championships
Men’s singles
5 x gold: Gerhard Pilz (AUT)
3x gold: Patrick Pigneter (ITA)
2 x gold: Alex Gruber (ITA), Anton Blasbichler (ITA)

Women’s singles 
4x gold: Ekaterina Lavrenteva (RUS)
3 x gold: Evelin Lanthaler (ITA), Delia Vaudan (ITA)

Doubles 
5 x gold: Patrick Pigneter/Florian Clara (ITA)
3x gold: Pavel Porshnev/Ivan Lazarev (RUS)
2 x gold: Wolfgang Schopf/Andreas Schopf (AUT), Andreas Jud/Ernst Oberhammer (ITA)

The program of the 24th Natural Track Luge World Championships 2023*
Thursday February 9th
6.30 p.m.: Technical meeting
7 p.m.: Team captains meeting with starting bib allocation

Friday February 10th
9 a.m.: Nations training women’s singles and men’s singles 
12 o'clock: Nations training doubles
7 p.m.: Opening ceremony 

Saturday February 11th
9 a.m.: 1st run men’s singles
10 a.m.: 1st run women‘s singles 
10.45 a.m.: 1st run doubles
11.30 a.m.: 2nd run women‘s singles
12.30 p.m.: Final run doubles, followed by flower ceremony

Sunday February 12th
9 a.m.: 2nd run men’s singles
10 a.m.: Final run women’s singles, followed by flower ceremony
10.45 a.m.: Final run men’s singles, followed by flower ceremony
12.30 p.m.: Team competition, followed by flower ceremony
2 p.m.: Awards ceremony

*Subject to change