Nations Cup victories for Emily Sweeney, Chriss Eissler and Nagler/Malleier in Innsbruck
Innsbruck (FIL) Emily Sweeney (USA), Chris Eissler (GER) and the doubles' team Ivan Nagler / Fabian Malleier (ITA) were the fastest at the last FIL Nations Cup before the short Christmas break, on Friday, December 17, 2021 in Innsbruck-Igls.
Under perfect luge conditions at minus three degrees air temperature and sunshine at the foot of mount Patscherkofel, the 28-year-old US-American Emily Sweeney won in 40.233 seconds ahead of Russia's Diana Loginova (+0.146) and Latvia's Elina Ieva Vitola (+0.154). Winner Sweeney said: "I like being here in Innsbruck. It is very nice here. I am happy to have shown a clean run today after the difficult training."
In the men's race, Chris Eissler of Germany was fastest in a convincing 50.327 seconds. Russia's Matvei Perestoronin (+0.210) was second ahead of local hero Reinhard Egger (+0.257). The 28-year-old sports soldier from Chemnitz was happy about the victory: "In the upper part it was a great run today, unfortunately I fumbled a bit at the bottom. I'll try to do even better in the two World Cup runs."
The Nations Cup of the doubles category offered a close duel of the Austrian and Italian teams. Ivan Nagler and Fabian Malleier from South Tyrol won this duel in 39.994 seconds against last winter's overall World Cup winners Thomas Steu and Lorenz Koller from Vorarlberg and Tyrol (+0.036) ahead of Canada's Tristan Walker and Justin Snith (+0.164). The 23-year-old student Fabian Malleier from Völlan analysed after the race: "The run today was okay, but we hope to luge the roundabout even better tomorrow at the World Cup. It was not yet as it should be. We feel quite at home in Igls and are looking forward to the World Cup race." Calgary student Tristan Walker also likes the Olympic track in Innsbruck-Igls: "I really enjoy racing here. Unfortunately we always have one good run and one bad run in Igls. The goal for the World Cup tomorrow is definitely to show two good, fast runs for once."
Athletes qualify for the EBERSPÄCHER World Cup on Saturday and Sunday via the Nations Cup, which is run in one heat. The fastest twelve female athletes and doubles as well as the fastest 15 men of the last three World Cup races are seeded and do not have to enter the Nations Cup for qualification. For them, there will be the seeded training on Friday, 22 January from 14.30 hrs (CET) as the last run before the World Cup in the Olympic ice canal in Igls.
Detailed results and further information on the 5th EBERSPÄCHER Luge World Cup in Innsbruck-Igls, the Nations Cup and the trainings can be found under the following link: https://www.fil-luge.org/de/ergebnisse/eberspaecher-weltcup-12
