Julia Taubitz and Dominik Fischnaller lead at half-time in the World Cup final

Sigulda (FIL/02. Mrz. 2024) The most important decisions in the individual competitions of the 2023/24 EBERSPAECHER Luge World Cup season were already made last weekend. Julia Taubitz and Max Langenhan won the big crystal globe ahead of time. A new format will therefore ensure excitement at the final weekend. "To keep things exciting for the visitors on site as well as the TV viewers, we have planned a real final day for Sunday this time, with the decisions in the individual disciplines and the team relay," explained FIL Sports Director Matthias Böhmer in the run-up to the event. "This means we are trying something new and experiencing a real World Cup final on Sunday. We had consulted with the athletes' representatives in the run-up to the event, who are effectively our mouthpiece to the athletes. They were just as positive about it as the TV broadcasters. Ultimately, we can't reinvent the sport of luge, but perhaps we can make it more exciting with small changes like this."

In the first run on Saturday, March 2, Julia Taubitz once again impressively demonstrated that she is the rightful winner of the overall World Cup. In 41.487 seconds, the German set a fantastic track record. She is almost two tenths of a second ahead of local hero Elena Vitola (0.198). She is followed by Vitola's Latvian compatriot Sigita Berzina (0.234), ahead of Anna Berreiter (Germany/0.260) and Kendija Aparjode (Latvia/0.275). Sixth is the US American Emiliy Sweeney (0.304) at the halfway point. Madeleine Egle (Austria), who is third in the overall World Cup just six points behind Berreiter (706), was only eleventh fastest, 0.442 seconds behind.

In the absence of Max Langenhan, who had already traveled back to Germany for further examinations due to a back injury, Felix Loch still has the best chance of his third consecutive victory in Sigulda, his 53rd World Cup success in total. In second place, the three-time Olympic Champion from Germany is just 0.079 seconds behind the leader Dominik Fischnaller (Italy/47.565 seconds). However, things are still very close behind Loch. Nico Gleirscher (Austria) follows 0.094 seconds behind, ahead of Kristers Aparjods (Latvia/0.111) and the two Austrians Wolfgang Kindl (0.115) and Jonas Müller (0.249).

This means that the battle for second place in the World Cup standings will once again be exciting between Felix Loch (681) and Kristers Aparjods (741).

On Sunday, March 3, 2024, the final two runs of the women's and men's singles will take place. After that, the EBERSPAECHER Team Relay World Cup presented by BMW will be decided.