The 2024/2025 FIL Natural Track Luge World Cup is entering the home stretch. From Friday, February 7th, to Sunday, February 9th, the penultimate round of the season will take place on the Grantau track in Umhausen (AUT), featuring, among other highlights, the only Eliminator race of the season.

Florian Clara (ITA) in Umhausen 2024

Umhausen (FIL/05.02.2025) – The 955-metre-long Grantau natural luge track is one of the classics in the World Cup. The 2011 and 2021 World Championship track is considered technically demanding. In the men’s singles, there was a change of leadership in the overall World Cup standings in Mariazell (AUT): with his second victory, Florian Clara (ITA/330 points) overtook world champion Michael Scheikl (AUT/325 points). Last year, Patrick Pigneter (ITA) won ahead of Clara and Scheikl, while in the Eliminator, Pigneter defeated Clara in the final, with Scheikl finishing fourth. Since both the World Cup and the Eliminator in Umhausen offer double points, Clara and Scheikl are under pressure, as both aim to arrive at the final in Deutschnofen/Nova Ponente (ITA) as the overall leader.

In the women’s singles, Evelin Lanthaler (ITA) is the clear favourite. With a victory, the world champion would surpass Ekaterina Lavrenteva (RUS/55 wins/12 overall titles) in the all-time best list with 56 wins. Last year, Lanthaler won both the World Cup and the Eliminator race in Umhausen. Lanthaler (400 points) could already secure her ninth overall title on Sunday – two second-place finishes would be enough for the 33-year-old. The chasing group is led by Tina Unterberger (AUT/265 points), followed by Daniela Mittermair (ITA/239) and vice world champion Riccarda Ruetz (AUT/230).

In the doubles, the three-way battle between World Cup leaders Maximilian Pichler/Nico Edlinger (AUT), world champions Matthias Lambacher/Peter Lambacher (ITA), and Tobias Paur/Andreas Hofer (ITA) continues. The three-time season winners Pichler/Edlinger claimed their first World Cup victory last year in the Eliminator on the Grantau track, while Lambacher/Lambacher won the most recent race in Mariazell. In the overall standings, Pichler/Edlinger lead with 385 points, followed by Lambacher/Lambacher (325) and Paur/Hofer (310).

The races in Umhausen will be streamed live on the official FIL website.

Schedule

Friday, February 7th
12:00 pm: 1st national training – Women’s singles and Men’s singles
2:00 pm: 2nd national training – Women’s singles and Men’s singles
4:00 pm: National training – Doubles
5:00 pm: Competition run – Doubles, followed by flower ceremony and awards ceremony
 

Saturday, February 8th
10:00 am: Eliminator – Doubles, followed by flower ceremony
12:00 pm: 1st competition run – Women’s singles
12:45 pm: 1st competition run – Men’s singles
2:00 pm: Final run – Women’s singles, followed by flower ceremony
3:00 pm: Final run – Men’s singles, followed by flower ceremony
4:30 pm: Awards ceremonies – Women’s singles, Men’s singles, and Doubles

Sunday, February 9th
10:00 am: Eliminator – Women’s singles and Men’s singles, followed by flower ceremony and awards ceremonies