At the FIL Luge World Cup on Natural Track in Vatra Dornei (ROU) Austria celebrated a historic double victory on Sunday. In men’s single Vice-World Champion Thomas Kammerlander took the win in front of his team-mate Michael Scheikl.

VATRA DORNEI On the Bucovina-track in Vatra Dornei Michael Scheikl was in the lead after the first run, ahead of team-mate Thomas Kammerlander and Patrick Pigneter (ITA). World Champion Alex Gruber (ITA) did not find the right feeling and was only in fourth place at halftime. In the decisive second run Kammerlander performed a "Romanian rodeo ride" and fixed his third win of the season, just 0.15 seconds ahead of Scheikl. This is the first double victory for Austria since Alpe di Siusi 2014, even then Kammerlander won ahead of Scheikl. Patrick Pigneter could defend his 3rd position, despite best time in the second run Gruber remained in fourth place. In the overall standing Kammerlander is now in the lead with 540 points before the final in Umhausen, Alex Gruber holds at 530 points. Thus, the overall World Cup will be decided in the last race of the season.
 

Thomas Kammerlander: "It was a very difficult race on this long and rough track. Going to the final with 10 points leading of course is great, that will be a real showdown. "
Alex Gruber: "Sometimes is hot, sometimes not - that's the sport. I did not have a good set-up in the first run, in the second run it was better, as the best time shows. In Umhausen I have to run for the victory, everything else does not count anymore ".

Evelin Lanthaler (ITA) is the winner of the overal worldcup for the 3rd time (2016, 2018, 2019), in Vatra Dornei she celebrated her sixth win in the sixth race of the season, followed by Greta Pinggera (ITA) in 2nd position, 0.33 seconds back, Ekaterina Lavrenteva (RUS) finished 3rd. With the maximum of 600 points Lanthaler can no longer be displaced from 1st place in the overall standings, Pinggera and Lavrenteva are following with a gap of 150 and 165 points by 100 possible points.
 

Evelin Lanthaler: "It was a very bumpy track, for my driving style such conditions are really difficult, I had to try to drive loose and cushion the bumps. But probably nobody was able to perform a faultless run. Of course I'm overjoyed with the overall victory and the 6th victory in a row. Now I want to win in Umhausen to have all victories - but that will not be an easy job. "

Patrick Pigneter / Florian Clara (ITA) conquered their 10th victory in the overall World Cup in double-seater. The World Champions found the fastest line in both runs on the bumpy track in the Carpathian mountains and celebrated their fourth success of the season with a narrow lead of just 0.18 seconds. 2nd position for the Russians Aleksandr Egorov / Petr Popov, 3rd place for Patrick Lambacher / Matthias Lambacher (ITA).

Patrick Pigneter: "In double-seater things are really running in a perfect way, the material is great. The 10th overall victory is crazy. To be consistently good over the years is really hard work ".
Florian Clara: "It's a very difficult track here, it is very exhausting. We drove to victory from the beginning, now I am K.O. but overjoyed ".
 

The last stop of the FIL Luge World Cup on Natural Track is Umhausen (AUT) on February 15th-16th.