Lake Placid (pps) Due to his 25th victory in the Viessmann Luge World Cup, Italy`s Olymic Champion Armin Zöggeler is on the best way to win the Overall World Cup. The four-time World Champion won at Lake Placid already his third race of the 2003-2004 season: Now, he has an advantage of more than 100 pointes in the overall standing.
Zöggeler finished the first run with a new track record of 53,554 seconds and won in a total time 1:47,275 min. Second place went to Germany`s three-time Olympic Champion Georg Hackl (1:47,747) followed by his team-mate David Möller (1:48,117). USA`s Tony Benshoof realized the fourth place (1:48,329) followed by Austria`s Markus Kleinheinz (1:48,491). In the overall standing Zöggeler ist still in the lead with 431 points followed by Möller (316), Benshoof (312), Kleinheinz (299) and Hackl (275).
Armin Zöggeler (Italy), Olympic Champion 2002: „The first run was nearly perfect. You realize such a good run perhaps one time in 20 attempts. The track workers did a very good job. My advantage in the overall standing looks pretty good, but this can change soon.“
Georg Hackl (Germany), three-time Olympic Champion: „We have a very good atmosphere in our team. There have been other German athlets on top in the races before, now it was my turn. I like real winter like here in Lake Placid – and so does my slede. I`m an old man and not so good at the start. “
David Möller (Germany), two-time Junior World Champion: „It was my first race in Lake Placid. Therefore the third place is perhaps as good as my first victory in Calgary this year.”