Next weekend the FIL Luge World Cup on Natural Track will be touring in Nova Ponente/Deutschnofen (ITA). The fourth stop in the 2018/19 season is the last race before the World Championship.

One week after the double World Cup at the "City-Race" in Moscow the thight fight on top of the overall standings in the men’s single between Alex Gruber (ITA) and Thomas Kammerlander (AUT) continues in South Tyrol. Leader Alex Gruber is also the defending champion, he prevailed last year in Deutschnofen against Patrick Pigneter (ITA) and Thomas Kammerlander (AUT). In the World Cup standing Alex Gruber leads 15 points ahead of Thomas Kammerlander after four races.

Evelin Lanthaler (ITA) is aiming for her fifth victory in a row in the women. Last year her team-mate Greta Pinggera took the win on the 871 meter long Pfösl Riep-Track.

Rupert Brüggler / Tobias Angerer (AUT) won in the doubles last year, ahead of the Russians Pavel Porshnev / Ivan Lazarev. The World Cup leaders Patrick Pigneter / Florian Clara (ITA) mulled the second run and had to settle for sixth place.

In addition, the third team competition of the season will be held in Nova Ponente/Deutschnofen: At the opening in Kühtai (AUT) Italy won ahead of Austria, in Obdach-Winterleiten Austria won ahead of Italy.

The program
Thursday, 24.01.2019
5.30 pm: Technical Official Meeting
7 pm: Team Captain's Meeting with start number assignment in the Sportcenter

Friday, 25.01.2019
9 am: 1st training run men and women
11 am: 2nd training run men and women
1 pm: 1st training run doubles
1.45 pm: 2nd training run doubles
7 pm: opening ceremony in the finish area
9 pm: World Cup party 

Saturday, 26.01.2019
10 am: 1st run men
11.15 am: 1st run ladies
12: 1st run doubles
1 pm: 2nd run doubles, followed by flower ceremony
1.45 pm: Award ceremony Nations Cup men / women / doubles, award ceremony World Cup doubles
9 pm: World Cup party 

Sunday, 27.01.2019
10.30 am: 2nd run ladies, followed by flower ceremony
11.10 am: 2nd run men, followed by a floral ceremony
1 pm: Team Competition, followed by flower ceremony
2.15 pm: Women, men, team award ceremony, followed by a closing ceremony

Fact sheet track in Nova Ponente/ Deutschnofen
•    Name: Pfösl Riep
•    Start: 1505 m
•    Finish: 1384 m
•    Lenght: ca. 871 m
•    Vertical drop: 121 m
•    Max. down-grade: 16%
•    Min. down-grade: 5%