The women’s competition an Italian business, the men’s final a issue for two Austrians and the double seater competition a question between Poland and Russia. In this way went the first RED BULL-World Cup of Natural Track Luge, a parallel race in Völs am Schlern in South Tyrol, Italy today, Saturday.
If the big nations are the same as in the last years, not always the big favourites were to find on top.
In men’s race, the five times World Champion Gerhard Pilz lost in the round of the last 16 against Robert Batkowski, and Ferdinand Hirzegger, another star of the scene, lost in the quarter finale as it did the Italian Anton Blasbichler, reigning World Champion.
In the finale raced Gerald Kallan (World Champion 2000) and Robert Batkowski (second of the European Championships 2002) against each other, and Kallan was able to win the first World Cup race in his career. “I’m really happy about it”, Kallan said. “I thought that it would be difficult for me to succeed on this track, but fortunately I was wrong!”
World Cup defending champion Sonja Steinacher was expected in the final of women’s competition, but she lost in the semi final against her team colleague Barbara Abart, with 17 years the youngest competitor in Völs. In the finale, Abart lost against Renate Gietl, while Steinacher managed the third place with a clear victory over Irene Mitterstieler.
The Austrian Sandra Mariner said good bye to the dreams of glory in the quarterfinale as it did the Russian Ekaterina Lavrentjeva, World Champion in the year 2000. “I have had some problems with my material”, said Mariner, “and I have to improve in this sector in view of coming World Cup races.”
For Gietl, it was the second World Cup victory after a win in Hüttau, Austria, last season. “I improved from run to run”, the winner explained later, “and then the final went also in the best possible way – there are no wishes left.”
In the double seater competition the big surprise came from the Russians Pawel Porschnew/Ivan Lazarev who defeated in the semifinale Reinhard Beer/Herbert Kögl (AUT) by 0,66 seconds and who reached the final against Andrzej Laszczak/Damian Waniczek.
In the last races on the 260 meters long track the Polish World Cup overall winners of last season were not beat. Laszczak/Waniczek dominated in impressive way the whole competition in Völs. “We did a lot of fitness training this summer”, said Damian Waniczek, “but we did not expect to be so strong in this first competition. Our main goal for this season are the World Championships. Because we have already won the overall World Cup!”

Results:

Double seater: 1. Andrzej Laszczak/Damian Waniczek (POL)
2. Pawel Porschnev/Ivan Lazarev (RUS) 1,87 Sek. back
3. Reinhard Beer/Herbert Kögl (AUT)
4. Martin Graf/Harald Laimer (ITA) 0,41 Sek. back

Places because of qualification times:
5. Wolfgang Schopf/Andreas Schopf (AUT) 47.66
6. Guido Hilgartner/Siegfried Truppe (AUT) 48.11
7. Simone Deme/Michel Squinabol (ITA) 48.64
8. Andrezj Tyrna/Tomasz Kowalczyk (POL) 50.07
9. Björn Kierspel/Hansjörg Mühlbacher(GER) 51.28
Women:
1. Renate Gietl (ITA) 2. Barbara Abart (ITA) 0,03 Sek. back
3. Sonja Steinacher (ITA) 4. Irene Mitterstieler (ITA) 0,89 Sek. back
Places because of qualification times:
5. Sabine Kogler (AUT) 44.58
6. Ekaterina Lavrentjeva (RUS) 44.87
7. Marlies Wagner (AUT) 45.32
8. Sandra Mariner (AUT) 45.93
9. Julia Vetlova (RUS) 45.95
10. Ewelina Zurek (POL) 46.41
11. Magdalena Zawada (POL) 47.37
12. Anna Braun (GER) 47.68
13. Karolina Waniczek (POL) 48.13
14. Mateja Kralj (SLO) 49.61
15. Sylwia Zarzecka (POL) 50.85
Men:
1. Gerald Kallan (AUT)
2. Robert Batkowski (AUT) 0,03 Sek. zur.
3. Florian Breitenberger (ITA)
4. Martin Psenner (ITA) 0,20 Sek. zur.

Sieger Achtelfinale, Reihung nach Qualifikationszeit:
5. Ferdinand Hirzegger (AUT) 43.04
6. Anton Blasbichler (ITA) 43.06
7. Rudi Resch (ITA) 43.47
8. Gerald Kammerlander (AUT) 43.62

Reihung nach Qualifikationszeit:
9. Andreas Castiglioni (ITA) 43.13
10. Thomas Damian (ITA) 43.52
11. Georg Maurer (GER) 43.55
12. Roland Kallan (AUT) 43.73
13. Marcus Grausam (GER) 44.22
14. Gerhard Pilz (AUT) 44.34
15. Borut Fejfar (SLO) 44.69
16. Denis Alimov (RUS) 45.17
17. Ervin Marn (SLO) 45.25
18. Björn Kierspel (GER) 45.27
19. Borut Kralj (SLO) 45.69
20. Ziga Pagon (SLO) 45.86
21. Corey Pusey (CAN) 45.89
22. John Gibson (CAN) 46.12
23. Gaspar Benedik (SLO) 46.70
24. Christian Wichan (GER) 46.77
25. Hansjörg Mühlbacher (GER) 46.84
26. Jasmin Prnjavorac (BIH) 48.36
27. Kenan Strojil (BIH) 51.75
FIL-Media Service
Egon Theiner
Contact: +43-664-4152730