Calgary (pps) Nobody had possibly reckoned with that: The “Krombacher Jackpot” of US-Dollar 50,000 can already be cracked at the 3rd Viessmann Luge World Cup next weekend (December 5-6) in Calgary for the first time. If Germany’s Silke Kraushaar in the women’s event, Italy’s Armin Zoeggeler in the men’s and Austria’s Andreas Linger-Wolfgang Linger in the doubles repeat their respective victories of Sigulda and Altenberg in the 1988 Canadian Olympic city, these four have fulfilled all conditions for the “Krombacher Jackpot” and may cash the money.

This quartet would have to share the US-Dollar 50,000 only if another four athletes will achieve the same feat, to win three events in the remaining five Viessmann Luge World Cup events and the World Championships in Nagano, Japan (February 13-15, 2004). Theoretically, three further quartets could achieve three victories each in the remaining nine races and thus crack the Krombacher Jackpot.

After their respective victories at Sigulda and Altenberg the contenders for the “Krombacher Jackpot” are leading in the Viessmann Luge World Cup with the maximum points of 200. The surprise of this season, however, is US American Tony Benshoof, who has never before started so well into the season in his eighth year on the World Cup. Benshoof is currently in fourth position in the overall rankings.

The leaders in the Viesmann Luge World Cup (after two of eight events):
Women - Silke Kraushaar (GER) 200 points; Sylke Otto (GER) 170 points; Sonja Manzenreiter (AUT) and Anke Wischnewski (GER) tied with 110 points each.
Men - Armin Zoeggeler (ITA) 200 points; Markus Kleinheinz (AUT) 155 points; Rainer Margreiter (AUT) 145 points.
Doubles - Linger/Linger (AUT) 200 points; Oberstolz/Gruber (ITA) 145 points; Leitner/Resch (GER) 131 points.
Teams - Germany 100 points; Italy 85 points; Austria 70 points.