After celebrating great World Championships in Zelezniki, Slovenia, the Natural Track lugers are looking forward to the final competition in the RED BULL World Cup, which will be held from Thursday to Saturday in Olang, Italy. The competitions at night time promise to be exciting because in all of the three disciplines the winners must be still found.

Olang was place of the World Championships 2000, has an expert organizing committee and a beautiful track. “We love it to come to Olang”, says Herbert Wurzer, World Cup manager of the International Luge Federation (FIL). Athletes from 14 nations will be at the start gate of the last competition, and for the first time in this winter also from the Netherlands. Canadians and US-racers remained after the Worlds in Europe, only Bulgarians and British traveled directly from Slovenia home.

The duels for the World Cup titels are the followings:

Men: Robert Batkowski, World Champion 2003, against Gerhard Pilz (second in Zelezniki and cup holder/both Austria). Points: 386 to 373.
Women: Sonja Steinacher, World Champion 2003 from Italy and cup holder, against Ekaterina Lavrentjeva (RUS/second in Zelezniki, World Champion 2000 in Olang). Points: 395 to 390.
Double seater: Andrzej Laszczak/Damian Waniczek (POL), fourth at the Worlds and cup holder, against the Russians Pawel Porschnev/Ivan Lazarev, second in Zelezniki. Points: 445 to 425.
The victory brings 100 points, the second place 85, the third 70, the fourth 60, the fifth 55. The worst of the six RED BULL World Cup results of every competitor will be cut.

After the sport, Saturday night will be under the sign of the RED BULL party, which was introduced last year and which is already the big farewell party of the international family of Natural Track Logers. Come and join!

Program

Thursday, 13.02.03

7 pm First training run men
followed by First training run women
followed by First training run double seater

Friday, 14.02.03

2 pm Second training run men
followed by Second training run women
followed by Second training run double seater
7 pm First competition run double seater
followed by First competition run women
8.15 pm Second competition run double seater
followed by Second competition run women

Saturday 15.02.03

6 pm First competition run men
followed by Second competition run men
9 pm winner ceremony
followed by RED BULL-Party

Technical details

Start 1.222 m
Finish 1.105 m
Altitude difference 117 m
Length of the track 1.008 m
Average gradient 11,77 %

Foto: Andreas Schaad

FIL MEDIA SEREVICE
Egon Theiner