As the dust settles on the 2024/2025 season, the world of Alpine Luge is witnessing the end of an era. Three of the sport’s most decorated athletes – Patrick Pigneter (ITA), Michael Scheikl (AUT), and Florian Clara (ITA) – have officially called time on their illustrious careers. With podium spots now wide open, all eyes turn to the next generation of lugers preparing to make their mark.
Next Gen: (from left) Fabian Brunner (ITA), Sebastian Feldhammer (AUT) and Daniel Gruber (ITA)
Berchtesgaden (FIL, 16 July 2025) – With a staggering 54 World Cup victories and twelve overall titles, Patrick Pigneter’s name is etched in luge history. Michael Scheikl’s 11 wins and Clara’s four overall titles only further underline the calibre of athletes bidding farewell. But as they step aside, a new wave of talent is eager to take centre stage.
Vice World Champion Daniel Gruber (ITA), Austria’s Fabian Achenrainer, a two-time Junior World Champion (2018, 2021), and Slovenian rising star Ziga Kralj are among those tipped to shake up the standings in the upcoming 2025/2026 season.
The Future Is Ready
Among the top contenders are Daniel Gruber and Fabian Brunner (ITA) – both of whom already know what it takes to win at the highest level. Brunner claimed his maiden World Cup victory in Winterleiten (AUT) in February 2024, while Gruber struck gold on home ice in Laas/Lasa just a month earlier. “I’ve been training hard for months,” says Gruber. “Cycling, weight sessions, mountain runs – and we’ve had a solid training camp with the national team at the Olympic centre near Pisa. Now it’s about keeping that form through to the winter.”The 22-year-old forester isn’t short of ambition either: “Within our team, I’d keep an eye on Fabian Brunner and Alex Oberhofer. But you can’t ignore Fabian Achenrainer or the Kralj brothers either. If I’m not in the winner’s photo this season, I’ve done something wrong in my prep.”
Old Rivalries, New Battles
A name to remember: Fabian Achenrainer
Gruber and Brunner know Achenrainer well from their Junior World Cup days, where they frequently went head-to-head. Now 24, Achenrainer is once again relying on his tried-and-tested method of off-season training on the roller luge. “My biggest rivals? Definitely Brunner and Gruber,” he says. “I’ve raced them plenty of times and know just how fast they are. But we’ve also got a strong Italian line-up behind them, and the two Slovenians are real threats as well.”
Slovenian Spirit
Slowenian Spirit: Vid Kralj (left) and Ziga Kralj
One of those Slovenians, 16-year-old Ziga Kralj, is gearing up for his fourth season on the World Cup circuit. His training mix includes tennis, basketball, volleyball – and the occasional blast on his enduro motorbike. But his long-term focus is clear: “My big goal is gold at the 2026 Junior World Championships in Mariazell,” he says. Kralj knows that the path to senior success won’t be easy. “The competition is intense – Brunner, Gruber, Achenrainer… But don’t forget Alex Oberhofer, Florian Freigassner, and my brother Vid. That’s at least seven guys fighting for three podium spots.” The Kralj family travels together throughout the season in a camper van – father Borut, mother and both sons on board – which doubles as their summer getaway vehicle. This year’s route: Belgium and Normandy.
Standings Set the Stage
Veteran Swiss luger Stefan Federer capped off the 2024/2025 season with an impressive third place in the overall standings, just behind the now-retired Clara and Scheikl. Brunner, Oberhofer and Achenrainer rounded out the top six, while Ziga Kralj slotted in at eighth – right between Pigneter and his brother Vid. Gruber had to settle for twelfth, but expectations remain high for the coming winter.
Mark Your Calendars
The Alpine Luge World Cup 2025/2026 gets underway at the end of December in Winterleiten (AUT). With the sport’s legends stepping aside, the stage is set for new heroes to emerge.
