Last season they jumped in to host the World Cup Opening when the Canadian races had to be cancelled due to lack of snow. This year Lungiarü (ITA) is the official host of the new season´s first World Cup event. A new season which brings about a couple of changes in the Natural Track World Cup: after having been the name giving sponsor of the World Cup for many years, the Austrian company Red Bull did not prolong the contract which had been running out earlier this year. This was not because Red Bull did not like what they saw in the World Cup, just the other way round: Red Bull likes to choose small sports and to give support on the way to growth. Now, they said, the Luge World Cup should be ready to walk on own feet and no longer depend on Red Bull´s Wings. This probably would have been correct, if not the IOC had rejected the FIL´s application to make natural track luge a part of the Olympic programme in Vancouver in 2010 almost at the same moment. This was the worst possible timing, but athletes as well as officials are ready to overcome these drawbacks and keep on fighting.

In the season´s opening press conference FIL president Josef Fendt explained the background of the IOC rejection: “After all the decision has been based on two major points, one being the financial issue as a natural luge track cannot be used for any other sport and the second being the rule that an Olympic sport needs to be practiced by 25 nations on four different continents.” 25 nations have been reached at certain events, but they came from only two continents.

These continents, Europe and America, will host the six World Cup races of the current season. After three stops in Europe – Lungiarü (ITA), Kindberg (AUT) and Olang (ITA) – the luge family will move over to Canada for a double World Cup in Grande Prairie. The final will be held in central Europe (Oberperfuss, AUT) again.