Defending Champion Zoeggeler versus top favorite Felix Loch Altenberg (pps) At the upcoming 43rd FIL Luge World Championships Italy’s Armin Zoeggeler will carry the burden of being the defending champion. As the top favorite, on the other hand, Germany’s Felix Loch (photo right, © Dietmar Reker) is burdened by expectations. Thus, the “casting” in the men’s singles on February 11, 2012 (1st run at 11:05 hrs / 2nd run at 13:40 hrs CET) in Altenberg seems to be a clear-cut matter. But since the record World and two-time Olympic Champion from South Tyrol failed to earn a victory in the current Viessmann Luge World Cup season, he will be something of a “dark horse” candidate. Then again, the 2010 Olympic and two-time World Champion from Bavaria has five season’s victories under his belt and this is the reason why Loch is considered the top gold medal contender in the men’s singles. But even so, the 38-year-old Zoeggeler has not yet been written off in the German luge “camp”. “At the Worlds he won’t make things as easy for us as in the past few weeks in the World Cup series,” said Felix’ father Norbert Loch. Particularly, since Zoeggeler celebrated the fifth of his six World Championship titles in Park City in the U.S. State of Utah without having won a single World Cup event in the preceding 2004-2005 season. Germany’s Andi Langenhan, too, has hopes to win gold. He was the one to celebrate victories in Calgary and St. Moritz, beating teammate Loch. “I seem to be the only luger who can contest his claim to the podium’s top spot,” said the World bronze medalist (2008 and 2011). Two-time World Champion David Moeller is another medal candidate. The Olympic silver medalist achieved podium places in six of seven World Cup events. But since February 2009 (Whistler) he is waiting for a World Cup victory. “Even so - my well-being is not depending on a luge victory,” explained the 30-year-old unperturbed. The rather overwhelming predominance of the German lugers – Johannes Ludwig will be the fourth starter in the men’s singles in Altenberg – is reflected by a glance at the podium’s top spots this winter. With his third place in Igls and a second place in Koenigssee, Armin Zoeggeler was the only one to have spiced up things a bit in the otherwise “black-red-gold” monotony at the flag pole.
