10 days to go until the kickoff of the 2019/2020 FIL Luge World Cup on Natural Track. The first stop is in Obdach-Winterleiten (AUT) from December, 20th to 22nd.  By mid-February 2020 the World Cup will have a total of six venues in four different countries.

Winterleiten Schneeräumung

 

Tuesday morning 20 cm of fresh snow covered the track in Winterleiten

The new season will start shortly before Christmas with the classic competition in Obdach-Winterleiten (AUT). "The track is ready to run and open since the beginning of December, we are absolutely ready", explains the chief of the local organizing committee Hubert Götschl, who is looking forward to the opening race. Several National Teams (including Germany and Poland) have recently held practice sessions on the track in Winterleiten. The FIL school with junior riders from the Ukraine, Serbia, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland and France also spent four days in Winterleiten, where on December 30th and 31st the new season of the FIL Junior Luge World Cup on Natural Track will be kicked off. 

 

The FIL School at the end of the trainingweek in Winterleiten

The winners of the last World Cup in Winterleiten in January 2019 (due to extreme snowfalls the World Cup had to move from St. Sebastian to Winterleiten, editor's note) were Thomas Kammerlander (AUT), Evelin Lanthaler (ITA) and Patrick Pigneter / Florian Clara (ITA).

The first race of the new year will be the World Cup in Passeiertal (ITA), where the only pursuit race of the winter will be held. Then there is no holding back: Vatra Dornei (ROU) is followed by the World Cup in Deutschnofen (ITA), and on the second weekend of February, the FIL Luge World Cup on Natural Track will be held in Železniki, Slovenia. World Cup points were last garnered on this challenging track in January 2017. The World Cup finale will be held as usual in Umhausen (AUT) which will also serve as the dry run for the 23rd FIL Luge World Championships on Natural Track in 2021.

Lanthaler and Kammerlander defend overall victory

Among the men, the Austrian Thomas Kammerlander carried the crystal ball into the summer break three years in a row. Last season, Kammerlander only won the fight for the crystal ball with Alex Gruber (ITA) at the finale in Umhausen. Among the women, Evelin Lanthaler was crowned champion  the last two seasons. In doubles Patrick Pigneter / Florian Clara (ITA) won their 10th crystall ball. 

Two Championships

In February 2020 two Championships will be held in luge on Natural Track. The FIL Juniors World Championships in St. Sebastian (AUT), and the 28th European Championships in Moscow (RUS). 

 

The World Cup-Calendar 2019/2020

Winterleiten (AUT) 20. - 22.12.2019
Passeiertal (ITA) 9. - 12.01.2020
Vatra Dornei (ROU) 17. - 19.01.2020
Deutschnofen (ITA) 24. - 26.01.2020
Železniki (SLO) 7. - 9.02.2020
Umhausen (AUT) 13. - 15.02.2020
 
European Championships Moscow (RUS) 21. - 23.02.2020

    
Junior World Cup-Calendar 2019/2020

Winterleiten (AUT) 30. - 31.12.2019
Jaufental (ITA) 4. - 5.01.2020
Laas (ITA) 18. - 19.01.2020
Unterammergau (GER) 25. - 26.01.2020

Junior World Championships St. Sebastian (AUT) 31.01. - 02.02.2020