Laas (pma) – Second GRM Group Luge World Cup on Natural Track is hosted in Laas, Italy. After the season kick-off at Kühtai, Austria World’s best athletes will compete on “Gafair”-Track in Vinschgau. South Tyrol is the spot of first two GRM Group Luge World Cup Events of the year 2015. Laas (from 2nd to 4th January) and Deutschnofen (8th – 11th January) are the host cities. World Championships are held in Sankt Sebastian, Austria after the Italian Week from 15th to 18th January. Patrick Pigneter (ITA) and Ekatharina Lawrentjewa (RUS) are wearing the yellow BIB of the World Cup Leader after winning first World Cup race at Kühtai. The 33-year-old Russian was celebrating her fiftieth World Cup win. In 2012/13 she won also the last World Cup race in Laas. On the second place finished Greta Pinggera (ITA), who scored her first podium on home soil. She also finished second at Kühtai and is aiming for her first win on her home track at Laas. Men’s season kick-off was dominated by Italy with a one-two-three-win. For sure they are the favourites in front of their home crowd. At the Doubles Event Patrick Pigneter and Florian Clara (ITA) are chasing their seventh win in a row. Only Austrian Andreas and Helmut Ruetz did that from 1995 to 1996.