Lillehammer (pps) World champion Erin Hamlin (USA) has already punched her ticket for the Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver, Canada. "I'm really happy that I don't have to worry about the qualifying criteria any more." This is how the first US gold medal winner at FIL Luge World Championships commented her fifth place at the World Cup stop in Altenberg - which, at the same time, is her ticket to the Olympic Games. Germany's women lugers with Tatjana Huefner, Natalie Geisenberger and Anke Wischnewski - in this line-up they are currently leading the overall Viessmann Luge World Cup rankings - can now start planning for the Winter Games on February 12-28, 2010 as well.

"Anyone who knows how to calculate knows that we have qualified", said World runner-up Natalie Geisenberger prior to the Viessmann Luge World Cup in Lillehammer, Norway, to take place next week-end (December 12-13, 2009). The two-time World champion and Olympic bronze medallist Tatjana Huefner added: "Now, I'm only looking forward to the Olympic Winter Games in February."

While Germany's women lugers have already qualified, the decision as to the third and last Olympic ticket in the men's singles will be made on the 1994 Olympic track. It seems to be a forgone conclusion that Felix Loch, who celebrated his first World Cup success in Altenberg after having earned two World Championship titles, as well as David Moeller will compete at the Olympic Games. But there is a battle for Germany's third starting place between Jan Eichhorn, Andi Langenhan and Johannes Ludwig.

Meanwhile, two-time Olympic champion Armin Zoeggeler of Italy does not have to worry about his start in Vancouver. Despite having suffered his first defeat this season, he is leading the overall rankings with a total of 285 points. Germany's World silver medallists Andre Florschutz-Torsten Wustlich are heading the overall rankings in the double-seater thanks to their first victory in the Olympic season.

Their toughest opponents within the German team - 2002 Olympic champions Patric Leitner-Alexander Resch - are travelling to Lillehammer with quite some good memories. Up to now, Leitner-Resch habe not yet been defeated in Lillehammer. Thus, they earned the victory in November 1999 and then also took the title at the last stop-over the Viessmann Luge World Cup in Lillehammer seven years ago. "The track in Lillehammer is our absolute favourite", explained Patric Leitner.