The last chapter of this season´s World Cup will be held in Novouralsk near Ekaterinburg at the border between Europe and Asia. A full week long the top athletes will race for the last World Cup points. In all three categories there are clear contenders for the overall World Cup, but with temperatures around minus 30 Centigrades (-20 F) there might be the one or the other surprise. Not even three-times World Champion Patrick Pigneter (ITA) can be sure of his win. Should Austria´s Gerald Kammerlander regain his form of the beginning of the season, everything is possible. After the deduction of the lowest point result of the season, only a few points separate Pigneter and Kammerlander. Both have won two races so far.
Renate Gietl (ITA) could beat her eternal rival Ekatharina Lavrentjeva (RUS) by three hundredths last weekend in the World Championships, but the Russian will try her best to strike back on home turf. With three wins Gietl has a comfortable leading margin, but the decision will only be made in the very last race. So far both have a third place (70 points) as their worst season result, so the competition could not be tighter.
In the doubleseater event the overall World Cup winner will be old or the new World Champions. Patrick Pignter/Florian Clara (ITA) followed Pawel Porschnev/Ivan Lazarev (RUS) after the Russians had held the title for four years. In the PEWO World Cup both have won twice and an additional second place would make it into the point table, after deducting their season´s worst result.
The first decision will be on Tuesday, February 24th. Until then the service people have time to work out the best possible setup suitable for the cold temperatures at the Ural. Most of the top athletes are their own personal service people though.
Program:
Sunday, 22.02.2009:
Arrival of nations in Ekaterinburg
Monday, 23.02.2009:
09:00am: Team Captain´s Meeting
11:00am: 1. Training Run Men and Women
01:30pm: 1. Training Run Doubles
02:30pm: 2. Training Run Doubles
07:00pm: Opening Ceremony
Tuesday, 24.02.2009:
10:00am: 1. Competition Run Doubles 5th WC
12:00pm: 2. Competition Run Doubles 5th WC
afterwards Flower Ceremony
02:00pm: 2. Training Run Women and Men
Wednesday, 25.02.2009:
10:00am: 1. Competition Run Women and Men 5th WC
12:30pm: 2. Competition Run Men and Women 5th WC
afterwards Flower Ceremony
04:30pm: Medal Ceremony 5th World Cup
06:00pm: Team Captain´s Meeting and Draw for 6th World Cup
Thursday, 26.02.2009:
10:00am: Training Run for Women and Men who did not take part in 5th World Cup
11:00am: 1. Competition Run Men and Women 6th WC
01:00pm: 2. Competition Run Men and Women 6th WC
03:00pm: Training Run Doubles
Friday, 27.02.2009:
11:00am: 1. Competition Run Doubles 6th WC
12:00pm: 2. Competition Run Doubles 6th WC
01:30pm: Medal Ceremonies for 6th World Cup and Overall World Cup
