Semen Pavlichenko defends European Championship title

Sigulda  (RWH) In adverse weather conditions, Russia’s Semen Pavlichenko successfully defended his European Championship title by clinching his third victory of the season in the Viessmann Luge Cup. One week on from winning the BMW Sprint World Cup in Lillehammer (NOR), the 2015 World Champion took victory on the artificial ice track in Sigulda, Latvia, to win the 49th European Championships of the International Luge Federation (FIL). This was his third European gold medal, having previously claimed the title in 2015 and 2017.

Silver went to two-time European Champion Felix Loch (GER), just eleven thousandths of a second behind. Bronze was claimed by Roman Repilov from Russia.

Reinhard Egger (AUT) and Chris Eissler (GER), whose coaches did not enter them for the European Championships, were lying a surprise fourth and sixth after the sleet-affected first run in overcast Sigulda, before dropping back to finish 18th (Egger) and 17th (Eissler) in the Viessmann World Cup. Entry to the FIL European Championships is restricted to just four lugers per nation, whereas five athletes from each national association may compete in the Viessmann World Cup.

Germany’s Felix Loch has all but secured his sixth overall Viessmann World Cup victory ahead of the final BMW Sprint World Cup. He currently has 853 points. His chief rival, World Champion Wolfgang Kindl, could not manage any higher than 15th on the first run, but took fifth on the second run and now has a 75-point deficit. Semen Pavlichenko is third with 747 points. Loch only needs to cross the finish line in the BMW World Cup Sprint, even if he finishes 15th and last, to secure 26 points. This would seal first place for the five-time World Champion.

Quotes

Semen Pavlichenko (RUS / World Champion 2015, European Champion 2015 and 2017):

“I’d like to dedicate this win to my son as it’s his third birthday today. This victory has given me confidence going into the Olympics.”

Felix Loch (GER / 2010 and 2014 Olympic Champion, five-time World Champion):

“I lost the eleven hundredths of a second on the first run. Not at the start, but I had a little wobble on the exit of turn 14. My second run went really well.”

Roman Repilov (RUS / 2017 World Championship silver medallist and overall winner of the Viessmann World Cup 2016/2017):

“That wasn’t my absolute maximum performance. I didn’t make any major mistakes, but there were a few small ones. Winning a medal like this just before the Olympics is a good psychological boost.”