Innsbruck-Igls (pps) The track in Innsbruck-Igls, venue of the 1976 Olympic Games, has been completely renewed at the cost of approximately ten million Euros. A total of 27 nations have entered more than 150 athletes (59 men, 42 women and 27 doubles) for the World Championships and the organisers reckon with about 10,000 spectators on site. The 39th World Championships in Innsbruck-Igls on February 2-4, 2007, promise to become a great luge festival. Under the leadership of FIL President Josef Fendt of Germany, the Executive Board of the International Luge Federation has put numerous new rules into practice. The championship schedule has been “streamlined”, thus making the event even more attractive to spectators and the media.

Apart from thrilling competitions with the top favourites in the singles’ events, Silke Kraushaar-Pielach of Germany and Italy’s Armin Zoeggeler, as well as the medal contenders in the double-seater, Patric Leitner-Alexander Resch (Germany) and Christian Oberstolz-Patrick Gruber (Italy), the spectators may be looking forward to an attractive social programme. This includes, among others, so-called “ice clubbing” on all competition days, a DJ at the finish area as well as a grand fan club meeting during the World Championship days.

The starts have obtained a futuristic appearance and apart from the “Panorama Café”, situated above the finish, the largely extended finish area has become the heart of the completely renewed complex. “We reckon with approximately 10,000 spectators,” said Dr. Sigi Visintainer, Chairman of the World Championship Executive Committee, until three years ago also Managing Director of Olympiaworld. The track at the foot of the Patscherkofel Mountain is part of Olympiaworld.

For the fourth time after 1977, 1987 and 1997, the artificially-iced track in Innsbruck-Igls will play host to FIL World Championships. Peter Knauseder, Secretary General of Tyrol Rodel Arge and manager of the bobsleigh, luge and skeleton track in Innsbruck-Igls, has invited all medal winners of the previous World Championships to attend the competitions in Igls. Apart from a spectacular Opening Ceremony (February 1, 2007) a grand ball is scheduled to take place on February 3. “We want to celebrate a great festival”, Knauseder said.

The hosts are hoping for a medal in the doubles and the team competition. Austria’s sports co-ordinator Robert Manzenreiter has two strong medal contenders with Olympic champions Andreas-Linger-Wolfgang Linger as well as Tobias Schiegl-Markus Schiegel, who took the title at the Viessmann Luge World Cup in Altenberg and the World Championship gold medal in Igls in 1997. Additionally, “Team Austria” is among the top favourites in the (non-Olympic) team competition, just as the teams from Germany, Latvia, the USA and Canada.

The 40 th FIL World Championships next year will be carried out in Oberhof, Germany. Venue of 2009 World Luge Championships is Lake Placid, USA, host of the 1932 and 1980 Olympic Games. At the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver, Canada, international top lugers will fight for Olympic medals on the new track at Whistler Moutain.