Preview Men: Quartet of lugers set to fight for victory against Felix Loch

Berchtesgaden (RWH) A mischievous smile darts across the face of Semen Pavlichenko as a memory comes to mind. The notable moment occurred at a reception hosted by the Governor of the Leningrad Region, when the man himself slipped Pavlichenko his mobile number and told him to get in touch at any time if he needed to. “I realized then that I had become an important figure,” says Russia’s first ever Luge World Champion.

The 24-year-old not only took World Championship gold in Sigulda (LAT) during the 2014-2015 winter season, but also claimed the European Championship title as he celebrated his first success in the Viessmann World Cup on the Olympic track in Sochi (RUS). Aside from the Russian, another four men entered the history books by claiming their maiden wins in the World Cup in the first season following the retirement of serial winners Armin Zöggeler (ITA) and Albert Demchenko (RUS).

Tucker West became the first American in 17 years to win a Viessmann World Cup, while Sam Edney (CAN) became the first ever Canadian to enter the winner’s enclosure. Wolfgang Kindl took bronze at the World Championships and also claimed the first victory for an Austrian luger in the Viessmann World Cup in nine years. And finally, Chris Mazdzer of the USA won his first ever World Cup at the FIL Sprint in Calgary.

They all gave Olympic Champion Felix Loch a hard time last season, although he ultimately won the overall Viessmann World Cup classification for a fourth time thanks to his seven victories. With the exception of Edney, who is set to take a sabbatical year, all of the athletes intend to force the German to fight hard for victories again this season. “I always want to win,” said Pavlichenko on their behalf ahead of the forthcoming winter luge season, which will feature nine Viessmann World Cups in six countries in addition to the jewel in the crown – the World Championships in Königssee.

Loch goes into the season-opening event in Innsbruck at the end of November as defending champion. However, following a season without a championship title, he is prioritizing the championship battles in Königssee. “The aim is pretty clear with a home World Championship: to make it onto the top step of the podium,” says the 26-year-old, who won his first World Championship nine years ago, in 2008, at the tender age of 17 in Oberhof (GER). Loch continued: “A home World Championship is something special. You don’t a chance get to compete in front of relatives, friends and fans every day. On top of that, there is always a great atmosphere at Königssee. It’s definitely something to look forward to.”

The most successful active luger also takes a positive view of the introduction of the FIL Sprint as an additional World Championship discipline. “It’s cool that we have an extra race,” said Felix Loch. “The format is also quite interesting. There is bound to be room for a few minor improvements, but the sprint is generally heading in the right direction.”