When the Luge community will return to their classic racetrack in Umhausen this weekend, it will be seen whether the two Austrian rookies, Michael Scheikl and Gerald Kammerlander will manage to beat serial winner Patrick Pigneter (ITA) once again. The two Umhausen races were the only ones which Pigneter could not win last winter, so he will be eager to succeed here.
In the doubleseater event Pigneter/Clara have won last year, but with the huge amount of tough competitors, they will have to show two excellent runs to repeat last year´s win. As in the last years already, the strongest contenders are coming from Russia and Poland.
In the women´s event the tight fight between Renate Gietl (ITA), Ekatharina Lavrentjeva (RUS) and Melanie Batkowski (AUT) for the number one position will be continued.
Umhausen is going to host the fifth World Cup race within only three years, but whenever elsewhere races had to be cancelled because of too warm weather conditions, Umhausen has been ready to jump in. Once again the race will be held as a night event.
Training runs will start at noon on Friday, competition runs will start at 10.30am on Saturday.
Track Info “Grantau”:
Length: 1000m
Elevation Start: 1160m
Elevation Finish: 1040m
Difference: 120m
Average Descent: 12,1%
Programme:
Friday, 16.1.2009:
12.00pm: 1.Training run women and men
02.00pm: 1.Training run doubles
04.00pm: 2.Trainings run doubles
06.30pm: 2.Training run women and men
afterwards Opening Ceremony
Saturday, 17.1.2009:
10.30am: 1.competition run doubles
12:00am: 2.competition run doubles
05.00pm: 1.competition run women and men
07.00pm: 2.competition run women and men
afterwards Flower Ceremony
09.00pm: Medal Ceremonies
