Just like Renate Gietl (ITA) had ended the season here in Passeier, she started the new one: on top of the podium. “My strategy for today was to come through the steep parts a bit more precise than yesterday and gain more speed for the last part of the track. I am very happy that I really managed to follow my plan. It is very hard to make up time against Lavrentjeva, as she does not make any mistakes. But my second run was really phantastic, I was actually surprised by my time.”

Not only the winner was the same as last year in the final, also the second and the third were the same: Ekatharina Lavrentjeva (RUS) and Melanie Batkowski (AUT). So the fight for the top positions in the women´s event has been reopened. Even though the odds could be a little bit against the Russian, says Gietl: “Normally the Russians start their training on ice way before us, but this year our tracks in Italy have been in good shape very early and we had a lot of training opportunities, whereas the Russians came to central Europe a bit later than in earlier years.”

Not satisfied with her training, but very satisfied with the result was Melanie Batkowski: “This year I am a little bit behind my training schedule, so I am very happy about a podium finish. I lost a bit of time in the second run, I did better in training and in the first run, I have to analyse yet if this was caused by my equipment or due to exhaustion”, said the Austrian Junior World Champion.

In the thrilling finish in the men´s event it was once again Patrick Pigneter (ITA) who finished first. After the first run three athletes had been ranked within three hundredth of a second. For the first time ever Patrick Pigneter could feel the side effects of his doubled stress due to competing in two events. “My runs were not perfect and I had a major mistake in my second run. Today I realized how tough it can get. But as long as I end up winning both it´s ok with me”, he said with a smile.

His team-mate Anton Blasbichler who had been in the lead after the first run, missed the first spot closely, but was happy none the less: “I am glad to be among the best again”, he said after one season without a podium finish and a following change of equipment. He was confident that he could achieve a top three finish again, “but I have to admit that I was a bit surprised when I was in the lead after the first run”.

Reigning World Champion Gernot Schwab (AUT) called himself lucky that he made the podium. “I knew I had to take full risk to beat Pigneter and I was very well on course, but then I took a bit too much risk and crashed into the board. I am happy that I did not fall, did not ruin my sled and finished third.”

The GERMANPIPE World Cup will be continued in Umhausen in Austria on January 11th /12th.

Results:

Women (14):

1. Renate GIETL (ITA), 0:56,62(2), 0:56,50(1), 1:53,12
2. Ekatharina LAVRENTJEVA (RUS), 0:56,42(1), 0:57,23(3), 1:53.65
3. Melanie BATKOWSKI (AUT), 0:56,95(3), 0:57,08(2), 1:54,03
4. Renate KASSLATTER (ITA), 0:57,38(4), 0:57,26(4), 1:54,64
5. Marisa CLARA (ITA), 0:57,73(5), 0:57,50(5), 1:55,23
6. Tina UNTERBERGER (AUT), 0:58,19(9), 0:57,72(6), 1:55,91
7. Julia VETLOVA (RUS), 0:58,04(7), 0:58,02(7), 1:56,06
8. Evelyn LANTHALER (ITA), 0:58,07(8), 0:58,08(8), 1:56,06
9. Kinga GAWLAS (POL), 0:57,95(6), 0:58,28(10), 1:56,23
10. Marlies WAGNER (AUT), 0:58,19(9), 0:58,12(9), 1:56,31

Men (31)

1. Patrick PIGNETER (ITA), 0:55,25(2), 0:55,10(1), 1:50,35
2. Anton BLASBICHLER (ITA), 0:55,22(1), 0:55,17(2), 1:50,39
3. Gernot SCHWAB (AUT), 0:55,25(2), 0:55,64(5), 1:50,89
4. Florian BREITENBERGER (ITA), 0:55,72(4), 0:55,45(3), 1:51,17
5. Martin PSENNER (ITA), 0:55,84(6), 0:55,51(4), 1:51,35
6. Robert BATKOWSKI (AUT), 0:55,88(7), 0:55,75(7), 1:51,63
6. Florian BATKOWSKI (AUT), 0:55,74(5), 0:55,89(8), 1:51,63
8. Gerald KAMMERLANDER (AUT), 0:55,94(9), 0:56,18(9), 1:52,12
9. Michael SCHEIKL (AUT), 0:55,88(7), 0:56,36(10), 1:52,24
10. Florian CLARA (ITA), 0:56,10(10), 0:56,73(12), 1:52,83
11. Georg MAURER (GER), 0:56,43(12), 0:56,65(11), 1:53,08
12. Hannes CLARA (ITA), 0:57,51(17), 0:55,64(5), 1:53,15
18. Kaj JOHNSON (CAN), 1:55,31

World Cup Rankings (1/6):

Women:

1. Renate GIETL (ITA) 100 points
2. Ekatharina LAVRENTJEVA (RUS) 85
3. Melanie BATKOWSKI (AUT) 70
4. Renate KASSLATTER (ITA) 60
5. Marisa CLARA (ITA) 55
6. Tina UNTERBERGER (AUT) 50
7. Julia VETLOVA (RUS) 46
8. Evelyn LANTHALER (ITA) 42
9. Kinga GAWLAS (POL) 39
10. Marlies WAGNER (AUT) 36

Men:

1. Patrick PIGNETER (ITA) 100
2. Anton BLASBICHLER (ITA) 85
3. Gernot SCHWAB (AUT) 70
4. Florian BREITENBERGER (ITA) 60
5. Martin PSENNER (ITA) 55
6. Robert BATKOWSKI (AUT) 50
6. Florian BATKOWSKI (AUT) 50
8. Gerald KAMMERLANDER (AUT) 42
9. Michael SCHEIKL (AUT) 39
10. Florian CLARA (ITA) 36
11. Georg MAURER (GER) 34
12. Hannes CLARA (ITA) 32