Winterberg (RWH) Olympic Champions Natalie Geisenberger and Felix Loch are yet again playing the lead in their disciplines, while the two German duos continue to fight their gripping duel in the doubles. That’s it in short after Oberhof, which saw the fifth round in the Viessmann Luge World Cup this post-Olympic winter. The suspense is particularly high in the doubles in the run-up to the Viessmann World Cup in Winterberg in Germany’s Hochsauerland region next weekend (24–25 January 2015). Two-times World Champion runners-up Toni Eggert and Sascha Benecken are in the lead with 4:3 victories against Olympic and World Champions Tobias Wendl and Tobias Arlt. Seen in World Cup points, the current status after seven of twelve races is 655 for Eggert–Benecken to 600 for Wendl–Arlt. “We’ve lost another 15 points on our lead,” said Toni Eggert matter-of-factly after renewed victory for rivals Wendl-Arlt, the third in succession, and to top it all taken on Eggert–Benecken’s home track in Oberhof. “It’s pretty painful”, added a visibly crestfallen Sascha Benecken. In contrast, Felix Loch had a smile all over his face after his fourth victory of the season at the weekend. “My result makes me optimistic“, said the 2010 and 2014 Olympic Champion in reference to the season highlight. At the 45th World Championships organised by the International Luge Federation (FIL) in the Latvian town of Sigulda from 15–16 February 2015, the 25-year-old will be looking to take his fifth World Championship victory in the men’s singles. “Everything’s working for me again”, said Loch. And the competition has taken in the message with astonishment. “I wanted to tackle Felix Loch here in Oberhof because it’s here that he’s vulnerable”, said Andi Langenhan with a shake of his head after coming second on his home track. In the run-up to the sixth stop in Winterberg, Langenhan, who had come out top in the national championships ahead of Loch, is second in the overall rankings, a full 155 points behind his rival. Third in the rankings with 170 points is US luger Chris Mazdzer, who won the Sprint World Cup in Calgary, and came third in the last two races in Königssee and Oberhof. In women’s competition the overall Viessmann World Cup rankings continue to be headed by Natalie Geisenberger, who stands far above the competition with 670 points. Tatjana Hüfner is second with 475 points and Dajana Eitberger third with 441 points. The fourth Viessmann Team Relay World Cup presented by BMW will close the weekend on Sunday.