Italian Championships: Dominik Fischnaller, Sandra Robatscher, Andrea Vötter/Marion Oberhofer and Ivan Nagler/Fabian Malleier win the titles

Innsbruck (FIL/27 Dec 2024) The Italian Luge Championships took place on December 27 in Innsbruck-Igls and delivered exciting decisions on the 1976 Olympic track. The new champions were crowned in four disciplines, including Dominik Fischnaller, Sandra Robatscher and the doubles teams of Andrea Vötter/Marion Oberhofer and Ivan Nagler/Fabian Malleier.

Dominik Fischnaller took the lead with a total time of 1:41.159 minutes after two runs and secured the Italian championship title with the fastest time of the day in the first run with 50.108 seconds. Leon Felderer took second place, 0.165 seconds behind, with the best time in the second run. Lukas Peccei completed the podium with a gap of 0.715 seconds to the winner.

Sandra Robatscher became Italian champion with a total time of 1:34.933 minutes and the best runtime of the day of 47.423 seconds in the first heat. Verena Hofer, who clocked the fastest time of 47.453 seconds in the second run, finished second, just 0.033 seconds behind. Hofer was twice the fastest starter among the women. Junior Alexandra Oberstolz came in third, 0.703 seconds behind.

Ivan Nagler and Fabian Malleier clinched the men's doubles title. With two best start and run times, they secured victory in a total time of 1:34.012 minutes. They finished 0.465 seconds ahead of Emanuel Rieder and Simon Kainzwaldner in second place.

Two-time overall World Cup winners in the women's doubles, Andrea Vötter and Marion Oberhofer, delivered a flawless performance, clocking the best times in both starts and runs to take the national championship. Their total time was 1:35.537 minutes. Nadia Falkensteiner and Annalena Huber, who performed strongly in the first run, unfortunately crashed in the second run.

Klaus Kofler, Italy's head coach, was satisfied: “After the Christmas break, our athletes were all looking forward to being able to go luge again. We used the training in Igls and the races for the Italian Championships to test and refine a few things. Our juniors were also there and performed well. In the end, there were deserved winners and very close decisions in the women's events.”

The team will travel to Latvia on Monday, December 30, to take part in the World Cup in Sigulda. “We hope to get off to a good start there in the new year,” Kofler concluded.

With this successful dress rehearsal in Innsbruck-Igls, the Italian lugers are looking ahead to the upcoming World Cups with confidence.