Track record pulverized: Steu/Koller dominate

Oberhof (FIL): What an exciting chase of Thomas Steu and Lorenz Koller at the EBERSPÄCHER World Cup in Oberhof. The two Austrians were still fourth after the first run, then the World Cup leaders catapulted to the top with a new track record of 40.792 seconds. It was their fourth win of the season. "That's really a brilliant time the two of them drove - hats off," said Toni Eggert, who had finished fourth with his partner Sascha Benecken.

Second-placed Tobias Wendl and Tobias Arlt also praised the Austrians. "Steu/Koller luged better and thus deserved to win," said front-driver Wendl. "That we now have the track record is awesome," said Thomas Steu, "hopefully it will stand for at least a year now."

The doubles delivered a thrilling and entertaining record chase. In the Nations Cup race on Friday, Canada's Tristan Walker/Justin Snith had improved the best mark to 41.108 seconds. Eggert/Benecken were the first duo to break the 41-second mark in the first heat with 40.889 seconds. Then brothers Andris and Juris Sics (Latvia) passed the light barrier after 40.828 seconds before Wendl/Arlt took the lead in 40.817 seconds. Steu/Koller pulverized that mark with a running time of 40.792 seconds.

With three races still to go, two of them in Innsbruck-Igls, Austria's Steu/Koller can look with satisfaction at their ranking in the overall World Cup. "For the overall World Cup it was a signal”, said Thomas Steu from Vorarlberg. He and his doubles partner lead with 741 points, Eggert/Benecken follow with 645. "For the overall World Cup you have to be realistic," admitted Benecken, "with today's result, where we could have made up a few points, it will be hard."

The results of the 7th EBERSPÄCHER Luge World Cup in Oberhof are available here: https://www.fil-luge.org/de/ergebnisse/eberspaecher-weltcup-6