Altenberg (pps) Sylke Otto, Germany, Markus Kleinheinz, Austria, and the US dou-bles Mark Grimmette-Brian Martin are the title holders of the Krombacher Challenge Cup. Grimmette and Martin are currently not competing due to injury. Sylke Otto, the 2002 Olympic champion, missed last year’s jackpot of US$10,000 only narrowly when she finished second in the final at Winterberg after her three wins at Altenberg, Lillehammer, Norway, and Innsbruck-Igls, Austria.

The US doubles cannot compete because Mark Grimmette is suffering from a slipped disc, but would like to be back for the third Viessmann Luge World Cup at Calgary.