Addressing 20 journalists from 5 countries (Germany, Italy, Latvia, Austria, U.S.A.) as well as representatives of marketing agencies and sponsors, the President of the International Luge Federation (FIL), Josef Fendt, provided information about the highlights of the new season, innovations, personnel changes and the most important rule changes. The two-day seminar was held in Siegen at the invitation of the “Krombacher Brauerei”, one of the major FIL-sponsors.

President Fendt emphasized that all friends of luge sport may look forward to a very exciting post-Olympic season.
As far as artificial track luge is concerned, there will be 7 Viessmann World cup races altogether, two in the U.S.A. and five in Europe. The most important highlight will be the World Championships in Sigulda, Latvia, from February 17th – 23rd, 2003. In addition to that, there will be 4 races of the “Krombacher Challenge Cup” in which prizes amounting to a total sum of 60.000 Dollars can be won, as well as the “European Open”, a race to which the best athletes will be invited and which will be held on January 4 to 5, 2003, in Königssee. The offer of two jackpots (“Krombacher Jackpot” and “Krombacher Super-Jackpot”) in the forthcoming season will again guarantee additional tension.

As far as innovations are concerned, the extended service offer met with great interest among the journalists; these innovations include, for example, additional transport facilities for athletes and luges during the races, the new technical service vehicle present at the tracks, the free training programme and increased financial travelling support. These measures have been initiated by FIL in order to support especially smaller luge federations.
Newly created was also the position of a sports coordinator for which Karl-Heinz Anschütz was appointed, who hitherto had been technical delegate of FIL for many years. As a consequence of this appointment, the International Luge Federation expects an even smoother course of the competitions as well as a more effective cooperation between organizers, promoters, media and sponsors.

Britta Semmler, who also is newly appointed by FIL as responsible specialist regarding television together with Rainer Dzösch, pointed out that there will be again an extensive national and international television coverage of the most important competitions during the forthcoming season.

President Fendt additionally drew attention to the fact that the field of press and public relations has been restructured by FIL: As in the past, Wolfgang Harder (Agentur cosmos pps) will organize and coordinate press relations for artificial track luging and Chris Karl for natural track luging during the World Cup races and international championships. In addition to that, however, FIL has engaged the Berlin-based agency “Lemarc-communication facement” for organizing and coordinating media and publc relations throughout the whole year.

As far as development of talents is concerned, President drew particular attention during the media seminar to FIL’s training programmes for young talented athletes. In this important field, Fendt announced, FIL will extend its activities in cooperation with the national luge federations. Thus it is planned for the future to organize FIL Youth Games (January 3rd – 6th, 2003, in Oberhof) as a further attractive international competition for the best and most talented young athletes. Sigulda has done its best and is fully prepared for the World Championships, announced public relations manager Dainis Mjartans. The representative of the Latvian organizing committee informed the journalists present at the seminar about the latest state of the World Championship preparations. At the end of the seminar, FIL-President Josef Fendt paid tribute to the ten-year successful cooperation with the Federation’s sponsor “Viessmann-Werke GmbH”, one of the most important manufacturers of heating systems and technology in Germany. Fendt emphasized that the reliable and trustworthy commitment of this company has essentially contributed to the successful development of luge sport.

Pressekontakt:
Lemarc – communication facement
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+49-30-443181-21 (Fax)
Andreas König
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Martin Priess
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