Berchtesgaden (pps) There are well-known names among the title winners at the national championships in Italy, Austria and Germany. Two-time Olympic and record World Champion Armin Zoeggeler, for instance, earned the national title at the Italian Championships, carried out on the artificially refrigerated track in Koenigssee. Winner in women’s singles was Sandra Gasparini while Christian Oberstolz-Patrick Gruber earned the title in the doubles event.

Winners in Austria were the two-time Olympic Champions Andreas Linger-Wolfgang Linger who claimed their third national title. Miriam Kastlunger, winner of the 2012 Youth Olympic Games, earned the podium’s top spot in the women’s singles, just 74 thousands of a second ahead of Olympic silver medalist Nina Reithmayer. Only 57 thousands of a second determined the podium’s top spots in the men’s singles – former junior World Champion Wolfgang Kindl eventually took the national title.

Olympic Champions Tatjana Huefner and Felix Loch claimed the national luge titles in Germany. The winners in the doubles were Toni Eggert-Sascha Benecken. Natalie Geisenberger did not compete because of illness, the doubles team of Tobias Wendl-Tobias Arlt beause of personal reasons.