Innsbruck-Igls (pps) A long standing wish of the international top lugers has come true. In contrast to the events in the Viessmann Luge World Cup, athletes of the seeded groups A in the disciplines women’s singles, men’s singles and doubles, will be the first to compete in the first run, according to draw, at the 39 th World Championships of the International Luge Federation, FIL.

The FIL Executive Board further decided to carry out so-called preliminary runs on Friday in order to determine the start order for all competing athletes, with the exception of the seeded groups A. The start order within the seeded groups A (ten women, 15 men and eight doubles teams) is determined by draw.

In the second run, also referred to as final, the starter-field will be reduced. Eligible to compete in the final are the best 25 men’s singles athletes of the first run, the 20 best athletes in the women’s singles and the best 15 doubles’ of the first run.

With these alterations, the FIL Executive Board hopes to present a more “streamlined” schedule, thus rendering the event even more attractive. At the previous World Championships in Park City, USA, the men’s singles event with two heats and sweeping intervals took more than six hours. “This isn’t contemporary any more”, FIL President Josef Fendt concluded.