Preview 2nd EBERSPAECHER Luge World Cup in Innsbruck-Igls (AUT):
Premiere for the new women's and doubles start

Innsbruck (FIL/04 Dec 2024) After a brilliant kick-off to the World Cup last weekend in Lillehammer, Norway, the world's best lugers will be competing in Innsbruck-Igls (AUT) this week. A total of 115 sleds from 23 nations have registered for the World Cup races on December 7 and 8 on the Olympic track from 1976, with 39 women and 44 men competing in the single-seater and 11 women's and 22 men's doubles. In addition, the first of six team relays as part of the EBERSPAECHER Team Relay World Cup presented by BMW is scheduled for Sunday, with eight relay teams from Austria, Germany, Italy, Latvia, Poland, Romania, Ukraine and the USA.

With five victories and a total of eight podium positions, the German lugers delivered an impressive performance at the World Cup opening in Lillehammer and a successful debut for Patric Leitner in his new role as national coach. In addition to Julia Taubitz and Max Langenhan, who both triumphed in the singles and together in the mixed singles, Tobias Wendl, Tobias Arlt, Dajana Eitberger and Magdalena Matschina finished at the top of the podium in the mixed doubles. In addition, Toni Eggert won the men's doubles with his new partner Florian Müller and celebrated an impressive comeback on the ice track. “That's as good as it gets. It was a fantastic team performance. We had a great weekend overall, a lot of things worked out. I'm looking forward to everything that comes next,” said the new German national coach Leitner enthusiastically. The women and doubles in particular will be looking forward to the upcoming training runs with great excitement, as they will be starting from the new women's and doubles start for the first time.

Reconstruction of the ice channel and new women's and doubles’ start

Built in 1975 for the 1976 Olympic Games, the ageing Innsbruck-Igls Olympic ice track is currently undergoing extensive renovation work. A new women's and doubles' start has been built and the lower third of the ice channel is being redesigned. The run-out can thus be extended and rebuilt from turn 13 onwards. Two large bends will lead the track uphill again after the labyrinth. The new finish house will be built in the area of the traffic circle. Two years of construction and almost 28 million euros will be spent on making the Olympic ice track fit for the future.

‘The women's and doubles' start has already been moved up 200 metres. The biggest challenge for athletes was the start curve, which had a strange angle and ended the race for some women and doubles. Moving the start doesn't make that much of a difference, but it's nicer and more homogeneous to race. We will still race this year's World Cup on the old track, but the women and doubles can already use their new start,’ says FIL Sport Director Matthias Böhmer, pleased.

In order to meet international requirements, the homologation of the new women's and doubles' start was successfully completed on November 20. Work will resume at the beginning of February and should be finalized in October 2025. You can find detailed information on the track conversion here: Igls Renovation on Schedule: 2 years Construction Time and 28 Mio. Eur

Quotes:

Lisa Schulte (AUT): “The homologation worked out well, we immediately took off from the new women's start in the first training session. The track has become a little longer for us, we're now going 47 instead of 39 or 40 seconds, which personally suits me, as I'm not necessarily a starting rocket. The higher speed creates more pressure in the curves, which results in a much better feeling in general. It is also positive that the first corner from the old start has been removed, which often caused problems in the past.”

Dorothea Schwarz (AUT): “It's really different. The start turn is much finer to slide than before and you have a bit more speed in the loop. It's really cool that the track has been rebuilt like this and I'm really looking forward to our home World Cup. It will be exciting for everyone because it's a new start for everyone.”

Wolfgang Kindl (AUT): “Finishing on the podium in Lillehammer in doubles and singles - that was a great start to the season. I can't understand how that happened. I really was completely out of action for a month and couldn't keep up with my athletics training. That's why I'm surprised that I did so well, but it certainly has something to do with my experience. Now I'm looking forward to the home World Cup, where we will attack again.”

Yannick Müller (AUT): “We've already done eight to ten runs on the converted track and it works quite well for us. We're faster at the bottom of the labyrinth and also at the top in the loop. We didn't get on very well with the old start and that's why it's better for us and a lot of others who had a problem with it.”

Caitlin Nash (CAN): „The first race was okay, it was a good first start to the World Cup season. We still need to improve in the race, but it was just the first weekend. I am exited for Igls, it is always beautiful. We love training and racing in Austria. I am excited to see the new start. That will be an interesting experience for all of us, and we are ready to keep on racing.“

Julia Taubitz (GER): “The start in Lillehammer was great, even though I thought I was going to crash in the second run. So I was just happy when I crossed the finish line and the 1 appeared. Now it's off to Innsbruck. I really like Innsbruck, also the whole surroundings. We now have a new starting height, we're racing from higher up and therefore a little longer and faster. That suits me very well because I always really get going at the bottom. We'll also visit the Christmas market and get a taste of the Advent spirit.“

Dajana Eitberger (GER): “The crash in Lillehammer is history. I'm looking forward to Innsbruck and the new track. I'm pleased that we now have a few seconds longer to race. That will suit us a little. Nevertheless, it will be new territory and a challenge for both of us.”

Jessica Degenhardt (GER): “We really like the track in Innsbruck, we won the European Championships there last season. It's always a very close race, but now there's a new start that none of us have done before. It will be exciting and a new challenge that I'm looking forward to.”

Toni Eggert (GER): “The start in Lillehammer was great because we were able to prove that we are real racers on this fast and difficult track, and that gives us confidence for the coming weeks. There are now two new variables in Innsbruck. We've never raced there together before and it's a new track because the start is now higher up. We don't know how to race there yet, and I think it will be a very exciting but also tough week, because with the little experience we have together, we have to get it right in just a few runs. But we are looking forward to it because Innsbruck is a great location.”

Max Langenhan (GER): “It would be nice if we could achieve such a great team performance in Innsbruck again. We always find it very difficult there because we rarely train there. We'll just take the positive energy from Lillehammer with us and see how it works out.”

Felix Loch (GER): “I really enjoy racing in Innsbruck, but it's going to be a tough battle against our Austrian competitors.”

Schedule
2. EBERSPAECHER  Luge World Cup, Innsbruck-Igls (AUT):
Local start time (CET/MEZ)

Friday, December 6, 2024
11:00 Nations Cup
14:30 Training Seeded group 

Saturday, December 7, 2024

09:30 Women’s Doubles, 1st run
10:25 Women’s Doubles, 2nd run

11:40 Men’s Doubles, 1st run
12:55 Men’s Doubles, 2nd run

14:05 Women’s Singles, 1st run
15:25 Women’s Singles, 2nd run

Sunday, December 8, 2024

10:30 Men’s Singles, 1st run
11:55 Men’s Singles, 2nd run

13:30 Team Relay

Subject to change without notice!