Less than one week has gone by and the luge community will be back in Umhausen in Tyrol, where the cancelled race of Hüttau will be held. But will the same people succeed than in Umhausen´s first race? The key question is whether serial winner Patrick Pigneter (ITA) can hold up against the double burden of competing in the individual as well as the doubleseater´s event. After two races in the GERMANPIPE World Cup he is in the lead of both rankings with 185 individual points and the maximum of 200 points together with Florian Clara. In the history of the luge World Cup no athlete ever managed to win both overall rankings in one season.

In the women´s event Ekatharina Lavrentjeva (RUS) is back where she feels best: on top of the podium. After two second places in the last two races (World Cup final last season and first race this season) she is back on the winning post. Her record of a winning streak of eleven consecutive races (starting in Latzfons in 2005 and ending in Lungiarue in January 2007) has never been reached by anyone else and it will take a while before any other athlete can come close to this number. But Renate Gietl, Renate Kasslatter (both ITA) as well as Melanie Batkowski (AUT) on her hunt for her first World Cup win will do everything they can, to avoid another winning streak of Lavrentjeva.

So far the decision about the two cancelled Moscow races is still pending.

Track Info “Grantau”:
Length: 1000m
Elevation Start: 1160m
Elevation Finish: 1040m
Difference: 120m
Average Descent: 12,1%

Programme:
Friday, 11.1.2008:
7.00pm: Team Captain´s meeting

Saturday, 19.1.2008:
9.30am: 1.Training run doubles and women
10.30am: 2.Trainings run doubles and women
12.30pm: 1.competition run doubles
2.00pm: 2.competition run doubles
Flower Ceremony doubles
3.00pm: 1.Training run men
5.00pm: Opening Ceremony

Sunday, 20.1.2008:
9.30am: 2.Training run men
10.30am: 1.competition run women and men
12.30pm: 2.competition run women and men
Flower Ceremony women and men
2.15pm: Medal ceremonies