1. News

Just one week after the 22nd FIL Luge World Championships on Natural Track in Latzfons (ITA), the next stage of the FIL Luge World Cup on Natural Track is Romania. The track in Vatra Dornei could already mark a preliminary decision in the fight for the overall World Cup this upcoming weekend (February 8th-10th).

After 5 of 7 stages in the men's single World Champion Alex Gruber (ITA) leads the overall standings with 470 points, ahead of Vice-World Champion Thomas Kammerlander (AUT) with 440 points and Patrick Pigneter (ITA) with 335 points. If Gruber stays in front of Kammerlander in Romania, then it will be very difficult for the overall winner of the last two seasons to defend the crown at the big final in mid-February on his home track in Umhausen (AUT). Patrick Pigneter won the last World Cup in Vatra Dornei in January 2016 ahead of Alex Gruber, Thomas Kammerlander finished third.

Podium Herren Vatra Dornei 2016


For the ladies, World Champion Evelin Lanthaler (ITA) leads with the maximum of 500 points, ahead of Greta Pinggera (ITA) and Ekaterina Lavrenteva (RUS) with 365 points each. Lanthaler will need a third place in Romania for her 3rd overall World Cup victory, regardless of the result of their pursuers. At the World Cup 2016 in Vatra Dornei, Lanthaler won ahead of Tina Unterberger (AUT) and Lavrenteva.

In the doubles, the World Champions Patrick Pigneter / Florian Clara (ITA) have a lead of 105 points on Alexandr Egorov / Petr Popov (RUS) after 3 victories so far. If the Italians stay in front of the Russians on Saturday in Romania, then the four-time World Champions in doubles will have their 10th World Cup-Globe in the books.
 

The Program

February, 8th
10am Training Men/Women 
12 Training Doubles 
1pm Training Doubles 

February, 9th
10am Training Men/Women 
12 First Run Doubles 
1pm Final Run Doubles, followed by flower ceremony 

February, 10th
10am First Run Women 
10:30am First Run Men
11:30am Final Run Women, followed by flower ceremony
12 Final Run Men, followed by flower ceremony
1pm Ceremony of the Nation Cup and World Cup Men/Women/Doubles