The second day of the Natural Track World Championships in Zelezniki, Slovenia, brought the first decisions. Winner in women’s competition was Sonja Steinacher (ITA) ahead of Ekaterina Lavrentjeva (RUS) and Irene Mitterstieler (ITA), while in men’s double seater Wolfgang and Andreas Schopf (AUT) won ahead of Pwel Porschnev/Ivan Lazarev (RUS) and Harald Kleinhofer/Gerhard Mühlbacher (AUT). In 2001, Steinacher and Schopf/Schopf were on the top spot too.
“It is a perfect organized World Championship”, said Steinacher after her success. “Great audience, some thousands of people, great ice on the track, great organization. I loved it to win here.” It was a decision for few hunderts of a second. After the first run, Lavrentjeva was leading by 29/100, after two by 6/100, after three the Russian World Champion from 2000 was behind 7/100. “I changed some material on my luge, and on Saturday my performance was definitely better then on Friday”, the south Tyrolian explained.
In men’s double seater competition, the cousins Schopf/Schopf were not to beat. “We did not have a great season, but it seems that we are a team for the big events”, smiled Wolfgang Schopf. Last weekend, the Austrians were second in the Junior European Championships behind of Porschnev/Lazarev, this weekend they took revenge. “It’s incredible. I race with the double seater only for seven years now, but I am twice World Champion”, said Wolfgang Schopf. “I can tell you: it is a really good feeling!”
Results women:
1. Sonja Steinacher (ITA) 57,43 (2), 57,12 (1), 57,22 (1)
2:51,77
2. Ekaterina Lavrentjeva (RUS) 57,14 (1), 57,35 (2), 57,35 (2)
2:51,84
3. Irene Mitterstieler (ITA) 57,59 (3), 57,76 (5), 57,99 (4)
2:53,34
4. Sandra Mariner (AUT) 57,93 (6), 57,59 (3), 57,98 (3)
2:53,50
5. Christa Gietl (ITA) 57,80 (4), 57,79 (6), 58,09 (5)
2:53,68
6. Renate Gietl (ITA) 57,86 (5), 57,72 (4), 58,38 (8)
2:53,96
7. Elvira Holzknecht (AUT) 57,93 (7), 58,06 (8), 58,23 (6)
2:54,22
8. Julia Vetlova (RUS) 58,29 (9), 58,12 (9), 58,31 (7)
2:54,72
9. Marlies Wagner (AUT) 58,22 (8), 58,16 (10), 58,80 (10)
2:55,18
10. Barbara Abart (ITA) 58,77 (12), 58,00 (7), 58,52 (9)
2:55,29
11. Sabine Kogler (AUT) 59,25 (13), 59,19 (11), 59,61 (11)
2:58,05
12. Michaela Maurer (GER) 58,46 (10), 1:01,14 (15), 59,72 (13)
2:59,32
13. Ziva Janc (SLO) 59,44 (14), 59,97 (13), 1:00,06 (14)
2:59,47
14. Mateja Kralj (SLO) 1:00,14 (15), 1:00,39 (14), 59,62 (12)
3:00,15
15. Oksana Elesina (RUS) 1:02,53 (17), 1:01,73 (16), 1:02,05 (15)
3:06,31
16. Melissa Jones (CAN) 1:03,14 (18), 1:02,01 (17), 1:02,80 (16)
3:07,95
17. Ekaterina Zarutskaja (RUS) 1:03,57 (19), 1:02,23 (18), 1:03,00 (17)
3:08,80
18. Karolina Waniczek (POL) 1:01,65 (16), 59,71 (12), 1:18,13 (19)
3:19,49
19. Sylvie Plucnarova (CZE) 1:14,65 (20), 1:12,10 (20), 1:12,80 (18)
3:39,55
20. Radost. Vuchaliska (BUL) 1:15,07 (21), 1:11,78 (19), 1:51,54 (20)
4:18,39
Melika Hasanovic (BIH) 1:15,96 (22), did not finish
Ewelina Zurek (POL) 58,70 (11), did not start
Results double seater:
1. Wolfgang Schopf/Andreas Schopf (AUT) 1:00,54 (2), 1:00,34 (1) 2:00,88
2. Pawel Porschnev/Ivan Lazarev (RUS) 1:00,46 (1), 1:02,23 (6) 2:02,69
3. Harald Kleinhofer/Gerhard Mühlbacher (AUT) 1:01,28 (4), 1:01,59 (2)
2:02,87
4. Andrzej Laszczak/Damian Waniczek (POL) 1:01,24 (3), 1:01,90 (4)
2:03,14
5. Denis Alimov/Roman Molvistov (RUS) 1:01,45 (5), 1:01,75 (3)
2:03,20
6. Guido Hildgartner/Siegfried Truppe (AUT) 1:01,76 (6), 1:02,13 (5)
2:03,89
7. Günther Innerbichler/Alex Innerbichler (ITA) 1:02,37 (7), 1:02,68 (7)
2:05,05
8. Andrzej Tyrna/Tomasz Kowalczyk (POL) 1:03,75 (9), 1:02,81 (8)
2:06,56
9. Simone Deme/Michel Squinabil (ITA) 1:03,82 (10), 1:02,87 (9)
2:06,69
10. Aleksander Egorov/Peter Poov (RUS) 1:05,58 (11), 1:05,91 (10)
2:11,49
11. Desislav Charlov/Emil Lazarov (BUL) 1:17,68 (12), 1:15,43 (11)
2:33,01
12. Galabin Botsev/Georgi Mirtschev (BUL) 1:19,79 (13), 1:17,07 (12)
2:36,86
Out first run
Reinhard Beer/Herbert Kögl (AUT) did not finish
Borut Kralj/Bostjan Vizjak (SLO) did not finish
Tomas Papiorek/Petr Pulcer did not start
Out second run
Armin Mair/Johannes Hofer (ITA) 1:03,33 (8), did not finish
Jasmin Prnjavorac/Kenan Suljagic (BIH)1:36,80 (14), did not start
Program on Sunday
10.00 second run men
12.30 third run men
14.30 Price giving ceremony
FIL Media Service
Egon Theiner
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