The FIL Luge World Cup on Natural Track turns into the final bend. At the final in Umhausen (AUT) on February 15th - 16th there will be a big showdown between Thomas Kammerlander (AUT) and Alex Gruber (ITA) for the victory in the overall World Cup standing.

World Cup Globe


The season 2018/19 could not get any more exciting. From the World Cup opening in Kühtai (AUT) Thomas Kammerlander and Alex Gruber are in a head-to-head race for the lead in the World Cup standing. Both athletes have three victories in this season:  Gruber won in Kühtai, Moscow II (RUS) and Deutschnofen (ITA). Kammerlander won in Obdach-Winterleiten (AUT), Moscow I and Vatra Dornei (ROU). Before the big World Cup final in Umhausen Kammerlander is leading with 10 points ahead of Gruber in the overall standing. Thus, World Champion Alex Gruber and Thomas Kammerlander, the overall winner of the last two seasons, have to go all-in in Umhausen, because only who is in front at the final wins the crystal globe. There would be a tie, if Gruber would finish third in Umhausen and Kammerlander in fourth position, then both would also have the same number of victories, second, third and fourth places - in this case, the better result in the final would be the decisive factor and Gruber would be the overall winner. In practice it will probably be different, because Kammerlander was able to win the last three races on his 955 m long home track.


Already everything is decided for the ladies, Evelin Lanthaler (ITA) has the globe in her pockets, after six victories in a row this season.  It´s a fight for second place between Greta Pinggera (ITA) and Ekaterina Lavrenteva (RUS). If Lanthaler also wins in Umhausen, then she takes the "Grand Slam" with World Champion, overall World Cup and victory in all World Cup races in one season. Most recently, Lavrenteva won all World Cup races of the season in 2012 and 2013.


In the doubles, Patrick Pigneter / Florian Clara (ITA) secured their 10th overall victory in Vatra Dornei, the World Champions go with 120 points ahead of the Russians Aleksandr Egorov / Petr Popov (RUS) into the final.


The program:
Thursday, 14.02.2019 

13:00 / 1:00 p.m. offizielle Technik-Sitzung / Technical Official Meeting 
14:00 / 2:00 p.m. Mannschaftsführersitzung / Team Captain´s Meeting 
16:00 / 4:00 p.m. 1. Trainingslauf Doppel / 1. Training run double anschließend / following 2. Trainingslauf Doppel / 2. Training run double 
18:15 / 6:15 p.m. 1. Trainingslauf Damen / 1. Training run women anschließend / following 1. Trainingslauf Herren / 1. Training run men 
 

Friday, 15.02.2019 
14:00 / 2:00 p.m. 2. Trainingslauf Damen / 2. Training run women 
15:00 / 3:00 p.m. 2. Trainingslauf Herren / 2. Training run men 
16:20 / 4:20 p.m. 1. Wertungslauf Damen / 1. Qualification run women 
17:30 / 5:30 p.m. 1. Wertungslauf Herren / 1. Qualification run men 18:45 / 6:45 p.m. 1. Wertungslauf Doppel / 1. Qualification run double anschließend / following Siegerehrung NC Damen, Herren, Doppel / Award ceremony NC women, men, double 
 

Saturday, 16.02.2019 
15:00 / 3:00 p.m Finallauf Doppel / run double anschließend / following Blumenzeremonie Doppel / Flower ceremony double 
16:00 / 4:00 p.m. Finallauf Damen / run women anschließend / following Blumenzeremonie Damen / Flower ceremony woman 
16:45 / 4:45 p.m. Finallauf Herren / run men anschließend / following Blumenzeremonie Herren / Flower ceremony men 
18:15 / 6:15 p.m Teambewerb / Team competition anschließend / following Blumenzeremonie Team / Flower ceremony team 
19:00 / 7:00 p.m. Siegerehrung Damen, Herren, Doppel, Team / Award ceremony women, men, double, team 
21:00 / 9:00 p.m. Siegerehrung Gesamtweltcup Damen, Herren, Doppel, Team, Nationen / Award ceremony women, men, double, team anschließend / following After-Race-Party im Festzelt mit DÖT „Die Ötztaler“ After-Race-Party in the pavilion with DÖT „Die Ötztaler“