Winterberg (pps) The Viessmann Luge World Cup enters its decisive stage this season. Prior to the sixth event on the coming weekend (January 17-18) at Winterberg, Germany, where the 15th World Cup event since the inauguration of the track will be celebrated, Italy’s Olympic, World and newly-crowned European champion Armin Zoeggeler has a comfortable lead of 115 points against European silver medallist David Moeller, of Germany. Theoretically, the Italian only needs another two wins in the remaining three races for winning the overall Viessmann Luge World Cup classification for the fourth time since 1998, 2000 and 2001.

There is a lot more suspense in the women’s and doubles’ events. Germany’s Olympic champion Sylke Otto (455 points) is just 28 points ahead of her team-mate, the new European champion Silke Kraushaar. No fewer than four doubles may still hope to capture the Viessmann Luge World Cup title this season. After five of altogether eight events Italy’s European silver medallists Christian Oberstolz-Patrick Gruber (375) are leading from Germany’s Andre Florschuetz-Torsten Wustlich (344), Austria’s World champions Andreas Linger-Wolfgang Linger (344) and Germany’s 2002 Olympic champions, Patric Leitner-Alexander Resch (343).

Further doubles who want to have a say in the distribution of the medals, are the Americans Mark Grimmette-Brian Martin, the Olympic silver medallists of Salt Lake City in winners at Park City, and the European champions and Winterberg’s local heroes, Steffen Skel-Steffen Woeller. Both doubles missed the first part of the season, Grimmette-Martin due to injury, Skel-Woeller because they failed to qualify for the Viessmann World Cup in the German trials. They then qualified for the European Championships by winning the German title and took their chance by achieving the European gold medal. “Up to eight doubles can win a World Cup race”, Christian Oberstolz said.