Dominik Fischnaller wins first European Championship title

Lillehammer (RWH) Dominik Fischnaller has claimed his maiden European Championship title in luge. The 26-year-old South Tyrolean clinched gold on the Olympic track in Lillehammer six years after his current coach Armin Zöggeler won the same title. Fischnaller took bronze behind Zöggeler and Johannes Ludwig (GER) on that occasion back in 2014.

On the first run, Fischnaller had relinquished his track record (49.172 seconds) to defending Semen Pavlichenko (RUS), who set a new benchmark of 48.761 seconds. Fischnaller set the fastest time on the second run to turn the situation around and fend off Pavlichenko, a previous four-time European Championship gold medallist, who finished as runner-up. Bronze went to Roman Repilov from Russia. Olympic Champion David Gleirscher (AUT) missed out on a first European Championship medal by finishing fourth.

The German lugers did not trouble the leaders. Two-time Olympic Champion and all-time World Championship record holder Felix Loch had a poor first run and ended up 15th. Germany’s best result came courtesy of Olympic bronze medallist Johannes Ludwig in eighth.

Repilov, the overall season winner in 2016/2017, retains his lead in the standings on 536 points. Dominik Fischnaller (450) moves up to second ahead of Sprint World Champion Jonas Müller (419) from Austria, who finished 11th in Lillehammer.

Quotes

Dominik Fischnaller (ITA / World Championship bronze medallist 2017, World Championship Sprint bronze medallist 2017, European Champion 2020)

“I like this track in Lillehammer. I’ve won here three times now. It feels like a home track because we train here a lot and do most of our runs here. It’s about time Italy won a European title again after 6 years!”

Semen Pavlichenko (RUS / World Champion 2015, European Champion 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019)

“I was nervous as I held the lead after the first run for the first time this season.”

Roman Repilov (RUS / overall winner Viessmann Luge World Cup 2016/17, World Championship silver medallist 2017, World Championship sprint silver medallist in 2017, European Championship runner-up 2016 and 2019)

“I’m still not consistent enough, and my second run wasn’t good I felt good in training because everything was just right: the track, the ice, the conditions. And I felt good in the race too, but it just didn’t work out. I don’t know why.