Altenberg (pps) „Germany’s athletes don’t count in Oberhof. And that’s why we’re the winners.“ This is the conclusion of Austria’s Wolfgang Linger, 2006 Olympic and 2003 World champion together with his brother Andreas, after his second rank in the SUZUKI Team Relay behind the hosts from Germany. Linger’s declaration was made after very successful competition days for the German team. The protégés of head coach Norbert Loch even surpassed last year’s World Championship triumph and posted three podium finishes in all three disciplines. At the Worlds last year, the “foreign guests” were at least able to secure a bronze medal in the double-seater – thanks to Tobias Schiegl-Markus Schiegl of Austria.
Germany celebrated the first triple success in the double-seater since December 9, 2001 when Patric Leitner-Alexander Resch won the event in Koenigssee ahead of André Florschuetz-Torsten Wustlich and Steffen Skel-Steffen Woeller. And this success even prompted Thomas Schwab, long time head coach and now Secretary General with the German federation, BSD, to call his successor. “He’s not in the habit of doing that,“ explained Norbert Loch.
But the 46-year-old head coach will travel to Altenberg, seventh of the altogether nine stops of the Viessmann Luge World Cup series, with quite a load of worries. David Moeller, currently on second rank in the men’s overall World Cup rankings with 46 points behind Armin Zoeggeler of Italy, suffered a torn cruciate ligament in the knee in training. Despite the injury, Moeller achieved a third place and intends to compete in Altenberg next weekend. “Whoever knows David, knows that he will grit his teeth”, explained Loch. In agreement with the team physicians, he will undergo the necessary surgery at the end of the season. Thus, Moeller intends to compete at the FIL Luge World Championships in Lake Placid (February 6-8, 2009) and the Olympic test two weeks later in Whistler, Canada, with a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament.
Additionally, André Florschuetz is not yet in top shape again. The World doubles’ champion celebrated a successful comeback together with Torsten Wustlich, grabbing a third place in Oberhof, only two months after his spindal disc surgery. “However, we’ll not be able to repeat such a good result in Altenberg”, said Florschuetz. “We have a lot of difficulties at the start.” In fact, the two German athletes intend to test the right set-up of their sled in view of the World Championship track in Lake Placid.
Head coach Norbert Loch will announce the nominations for the World Championships only after the end of the Viessmann Luge World Cup series. One starting place each in the men’s and women’s singles is still vacant – possible candidates are Steffi Sieger and Corinna Martini in the women’s singles. In the men’s singles, Johannes Ludwig is still hoping for a World championship ticket.
