Tobogganing
At the first artificial track luge World Cup in Park City in six years, there were more podium finishes for Austria on Friday. The Igls winners Juri Gatt/Riccardo Schöpf finished second in the doubles, 0.033 seconds behind Toni Eggert/Sacha Benecken (GER). In the singles, Olympic champion David Gleirscher (0.204) took third place behind Dominik Fischnaller (ITA). In between was Felix Loch (GER/0.185).
The ÖRV podium series, which started at the beginning of the season with eight wins and another top three places and continued in Whistler last week, broke down in the women’s doubles. Selina Egle/Lara Kipp, second at half time, hit the barrier several times towards the end of the second run and dropped back to sixth place.
Egle suffered a bruised ankle and a bruise diagnosed by the German team doctor. Her appearance in the women’s singles on Saturday was initially open. Then it’s off to the sprint competitions in Park City.
Also satisfied with second place
Gatt/Schöpf started the decision as half-time leaders, but still kept the Germans Tobias Wendl/Tobias Arlt at a distance and now share the World Cup lead with Eggert/Benecken. With Thomas Steu/Lorenz Koller (+0.319) and Yannick Müller/Armin Frauscher (0.918), the other two red-white-red sleds finished fifth and 13th, respectively. “We’re overjoyed that things are going so well,” said Gatt Schöpf saw it: “The third podium this winter is sensational.”
Gleirscher rehabilitated following his fall from Whistler by moving up three positions to the podium in the second heat. “After Whistler’s fall and disappointment, the result is particularly good. I trembled through the first run, then hit it hard in the second,” explained the Tyrolean. Wolfgang Kindl successfully defended his lead in the overall World Cup in fifth place (0.466). Jonas Müller (0.986) also qualified for the sprint in 14th place, in contrast to Igls double winner Nico Gleirscher (+1.523/17th).