Geisenberger, Moeller and Florschuetz-Wustlich the 2009 winners
Whistler (pps) The Olympic track in Whistler Mountain seemed to be a rather good place for German lugers at the so far only Viessmann Luge World Cup event in the 2008-2009 season. The winners in February 2009 were Natalie Geisenberger, David Moeller and the doubles team with André Florschuetz-Torsten Wustlich.
In the women’s singles, the three-time World runner-up Geisenberger defeated team-mate Tatjana Huefner, who became Olympic champion on the very same track just one year later, as well as Anke Wischnewski. 2009 World champion Erin Hamlin (USA) finished on fifth position, “local hero” Alex Gough of Canada posted a seventh place.
On the Whistler track, Germany’s David Moeller achieved the last of his altogether eight individual World Cup victories. Armin Zoeggeler of Italy claimed the second place ahead of Germany’s Felix Loch. After his botched “dress rehearsal” Loch then became Olympic champion – the youngest of all times in luge – just one year later.
At the World Cup première in Whistler the two doubles teams with Florschuetz-Wustlich and Patrick Leitner-Alexander Resch celebrated a double success for Germany. In this discipline, too, the “eventual 2010 Olympic champions” – Austria’s doubles Andreas and Wolfgang Linger – “only” posted a third place.
The team relay, at the 2009 World Cup and the 2010 Olympic Games not yet on the programme, will be carried out for the first time in Whistler at the upcoming World Cup stop.