Zug, Switzerland (pps) The car manufacturers, Suzuki International Europe GmbH concluded a new sponsoring contract with the International Luge Federation, FIL. The agreement guar-antees the Japanese automobile company exclusive promotion opportunities with varied TV presentations for the 2004-2005 season at the FIL events. In addition to an extensive market-ing package for the Viessmann Luge World Cup and the 38th World Championships in Park City, Utah (USA) Suzuki will also be the title sponsors of the “Suzuki Challenge Cup”.

The sponsoring contract was arranged by Infront Sports & Media AG, the marketing partner of FIL. Infront is one of the leading sports marketing agencies with headquarters at Zug in Switzerland. Infront owns extensive rights and, among others, markets the TV transmission rights of the 2006 FIFA Football World Cup in Germany and the TV and marketing rights of various international sports associations and clubs.

Each Suzuki Challenge Cup boasts almost €15,000
Berchtesgaden (pps) The Suzuki Challenge Cup will once again be a lucrative luge event. The winners in the men’s and women’s singles events will each receive €1,600, the doubles €2,000. The respective runners-up will get €800 (doubles: €1,200), the bronze medallists €600 (doubles: €1,000). The overall prize money at each Suzuki Challenge Cup amounts to almost €15,000.

Sylke Otto, Georg Hackl and Leitner-Resch the title holders
Altenberg (pps) Germany’s Sylke Otto, Georg Hackl and Patric Leitner-Alexander Resch are the title holders in the Suzuki Challenge Cup. Leitner-Resch, the 2002 Olympic doubles champions, won the Challenge Cup last year, due however only to their better individual results, from Austrians Wolfgang Linger-Andreas Linger who had gained the same amount of points.

Last year’s overall results:
Women:
1. Sylke Otto (GER) 355 points
2. Silke Kraushaar (GER) 340
3. Sonja Manzen-reiter (AUT) 225
4. Barbara Niedernhuber (GER) 225.

Men:
1. Georg Hackl (GER) 276 points
2. Armin Zoeggeler (ITA) 255
3. Markus Klein-heinz (AUT) 243
4. David Moeller (GER) 240.

Doubles:
1. Patric Leitner-Alexander Resch (GER) 285 points
2. Wolfgang Linger-Andreas Linger (AUT) 285
3. Christian Oberstolz-Patrick Gruber (ITA) 255
4. Gerhard Plankenstei-ner-Oswald Haselrieder (ITA) 240.