Felix Loch needs a ninth-place finish in Sochi to defend his title
Sochi (pps) Even before the final World Cup event of the season, Germany’s Natalie Geisenberger and Tobias Wendl-Tobias Arlt have already won the overall Viessmann Luge World Cup. But at the upcoming ninth and last stop of the Viessmann Luge World Cup series in Sochi (Russia) this weekend (February 23-24, 2013), the overall World Cup Champion in the men’s singles will be determined.
Theoretically, Felix Loch (600 points), David Moeller (537) and Andi Langenhan (513 / all of Germany) all have a chance to earn the “JOSKA” crystal award that is given to the overall World Cup winners. With 489 points to his credit, Italy’s two-time Olympic and record World Champion Armin Zoeggeler, who celebrated his 55th individual victory in the Viessmann Luge World Cup series in Lake Placid, has no chance to claim the overall title.
Olympic Champion Loch, who earned his fourth World Championship title in Whistler (Canada) three weeks ago, needs a ninth-place finish (the equivalent of 39 points) on the future Olympic track in Sochi to repeat his 2011-2012 overall victory. Even if compatriot Moeller would claim his third season’s victory in Sochi to earn a total of 637 points it would not be enough to outdo defending champion Loch with then 639 points to his name.
Apart from the decision in the men’s singles, the “competition première” for the upcoming 2014 Olympic Winter Games (February 7-23) on the new artificially refrigerated track will be in the limelight. A total of 29 nations (AUT, BIH, BUL, BRA, CAN, CRO, CZE, FRA, GER, GBR, HUN, IND, JPN, ITA, KAZ, KOR, LAT, MDA, NOR, POL, ROU, RUS, SLO, SUI, SVK, TGA, TPE, UKR, USA) with 136 sleds – including 28 doubles’ teams – will compete in Sochi.
It is anticipated that as many as 14 nations will compete in the final of the Viessmann Luge World Cup Team Relay presented by HÖRMANN. Germany’s quartet has already prematurely won the overall World Cup. However, there is a fierce competition for the remaining two podium finishes between the teams from Italy (335 points), the U.S.A. (296), Canada (276), Austria (265), host Russia (241) and Latvia (220).
