Königssee artificial ice track celebrates 50th birthday

Königssee (RWH) The track is the star. When more than 150 lugers from 20 nations descend on Königssee on January 5-6, 2019 for the Viessmann Luge World Cup, the serpentine track at the foot to the Watzmann will for once be the centre of attention as the world’s first artificial ice track will be celebrating its 50th birthday. The project cost around 4.6 million marks 50 years ago – now around €3.5 million euros. It was unique for its time and later became a model for many of the world’s other ice tracks.

In the post-Olympic Winter of 2018/2019, the Viessmann Luge World Cup will make its 35th guest appearance in Königssee. Since the 2004/2005 season, it has always been staged around Epiphany (January 6), a public holiday in Bavaria, and therefore always attracts a large throng of spectators. The International Luge Federation (FIL) has awarded its World Championships in Berchtesgaden on six occasions. Current president Josef Fendt won his two world titles (1970 and 1974) on this track.

The oldest artificial ice track in the world has been extensively modernized on several occasions, most recently ahead of the 2011 Bobsleigh & Skeleton World Championships. The entire lower section was redesigned, including the finish area, and the current requirements of the FIL regulations and its sister association for Bobsleigh & Skeleton (IBSF) were amended.

The “birthday boy” will receive greetings from the Viessmann World Cup and also the Viessmann Team Relay World Cup presented by BMW. The new team event was first presented to an enthusiastic public response in Königssee on January 7, 2007. The Team Relay has since become an integral part of the program at the Winter Olympics. Fourteen potential teams have registered to compete in Königssee in winter 2018/2019.

Natalie Geisenberger, Johannes Ludwig and Toni Eggert/Sascha Benecken (all GER) are easily identifiable as the leaders of the overall Viessmann Luge World Cup thanks to their yellow jerseys. The Viessmann Team Relay World Cup is led by the German squad ahead of the teams from Russia and the USA and Austria.