The 2023/2024 season for natural track luge is heading towards its climax: From February 2nd to 4th, a double event is scheduled in Jaufental/Val Giovo (ITA), with the World Cup and the 30th European Championships.

Drone view of the Tonnerboden-track at night

Jaufental/Val Giovo (FIL/January 31, 2024) The 658 meter long Tonnerboden track remains the scene of the title fights in natural track luge. After the Junior European Championships in 2021 and the Junior World Championships in 2022, the European Championships in the general class are now on the program for the first time. First things first: there will be new European champions in at least three out of four categories in 2024. The last European Championships took place in Laas/Lasa (ITA) in 2022, and the only defending champion at the start is Evelin Lanthaler (ITA). Alex Gruber (ITA) has ended his career, the doubles Ivan Lazarev/Pavel Porshnev (RUS) is not allowed to compete due to international sanctions following the Russian attack on Ukraine, and the Azzurri Lanthaler/Gruber prevailed in the team competition. With three gold medals (Nowouralsk 2010, St. Sebastian 2012, Umhausen 2014) Patrick Pigneter (ITA) leads the all-time best list. The 36-year-old is still one of the favorites, even if he is waiting for a win at a major event since the 2015 World Championships.

“We are looking forward to the competition, the entire organizational team and many volunteers are passionate about it. It is important to us that both the World Cup and the European Championships here in Jaufental are an unforgettable sports festival. We don’t want to leave anything to chance,” emphasizes Walter Volgger, the chief of the organizing comittee.

There are still three World Cups left to compete in this season, after four races Lanthaler leads the women's singles with 400 points ahead of Riccarda Ruetz (AUT/315) and Lisa Walch (GER/230). In the men's singles, Pigneter is at the top with 385 points, ahead of Florian Clara (ITA/300) and Daniel Gruber (ITA/265). In the doubles, Matthias Lambacher/Peter Lambacher (ITA) lead the overall standings with 370 points, ahead of Maximilian Pichler/Nico Edlinger (AUT/340) and Peter Neupauer/Dominik Neupauer (SVK/245).

The races in Jaufental will be broadcast live on the homepage of the International Luge Federation FIL www.fil-luge.org.

The program
Friday, February 2nd, 2024
3 p.m.: Nations training women/men
5 p.m.: Nations training women/men
7 p.m.: Nations training doubles
8 p.m.: Doubles race (World Cup), followed by a flower ceremony and award ceremony

Saturday, February 3rd, 2024
2 p.m.: European Championships doubles, followed by a flower ceremony
3 p.m.: 1st run women's singles (World Cup)
3.30 p.m.: 1st run men’s singles (World Cup)
5 p.m.: Final run women's singles (World Cup), followed by a flower ceremony
6 p.m.: Final rund men's singles (World Cup), followed by a flower ceremony
7.30 p.m.: Award ceremony for women’s singles, men’s singles and doubles

Sunday, February 4, 2024
10 a.m.: 1st run women's singles (European Championship)
10.30 a.m.: 1st run men's singles (European Championship)
11.30 a.m.: Final run women's singles (European Championship), followed by a flower ceremony
12.15 p.m.: Final run men's singles (European Championship), followed by a flower ceremony
1.45 p.m.: European Championship team competition
2.15 p.m.: Award ceremony for women's singles, men's singles and team competition