Wendl-Arlt undefeated at the past four World Cup events in Koenigssee
Koenigssee (pps) European silver medalists Tobias Arlt-Tobias Wendl claimed the victories at the last four Viessmann World Cup events on the artificially iced track in Koenigssee. Since the 2009-2010 season the German doubles team, that is setting the standard in the pre-Olympic season, has always been successful on their home track – the last occasion occurred in early December 2012 when the World Cup was moved from Cesana (Italy) to Koenigssee.
In the women’s singles World bronze medalist Natalie Geisenberger of Germany won the “replacement” World Cup for Cesana, while in the 2011-2012 season the now injured Tatjana Huefner (Germany) took the podium’s top spot. Quite surprisingly, it was European Champion Andi Langenhan (Germany) who earned the victory in December while teammate Felix Loch claimed the first German top podium finish after a 10-year long “drought” in the 2011-2012 season. Prior to Loch’s triumph, the previous German winner on the artificially iced track in Koenigssee was 3-time Olympic Champion Georg Hackl (December 2001).
Italy’s quartet with Sandra Gasparini, Dominik Fischnaller and Christian Oberstolz-Patrick Gruber surprisingly won the Team Relay event last year ahead of the favorites from Germany in the line-up with Tatjana Huefner, Felix Loch and Tobias Wendl-Tobias Arlt. Russia earned third place.
When Koenigssee replaced Cesana in December 2012 on short notice, the Team Relay event was not part of the competition program. Due to financial reasons, Cesana was not in a position to host the Viessmann Luge World Cup.
