Evelin Lanthaler in action. © Jana Zischg

Record set: Lanthaler celebrates 55th World Cup victory

Luge queen Evelin Lanthaler (ITA) is breaking one record after another. On Sunday, the 33-year-old celebrated her 55th World Cup victory in Mariazell, equaling the record held by Ekaterina Lavrenteva (RUS).

26 January 2025

From: pm

With the best time in both runs, Evelin Lanthaler stormed to the top of the all-time best list and safely took her 55th World Cup victory with a total time of 1.42,43:XNUMX minutes. Lanthaler thus equaled Ekaterina Lavrenteva's record, and in two weeks in Umhausen (AUT) Lanthaler can become the sole record holder. At the World Championships in Kühtai (AUT), the South Tyrolean already replaced the Russian as record holder with her fifth World Championship title in the women's singles.

"I managed two very good runs today, I had fun tobogganing. Of course I'm happy to look at the statistics, my goal is not to set records, I just want to put in a good performance and win races," explained the serial winner at the finish. Jenny Castiglioni (ITA/+0,71 seconds) secured her first podium place in the FIL World Cup, ahead of Tina Unterberger (AUT/+1,13), who rode with Lanthaler's best time in the second run and catapulted herself from sixth place onto the podium.

The women's podium. © Jana Zischg

In the overall ranking, Lanthaler leads with 400 points, Unterberger is the new second with 265 points, Daniela Mittermair (ITA/239) has slipped to third place.

Clara back on top

Local hero and world champion Michael Scheikl (AUT) attracted numerous spectators to the toboggan run on Sigmundsberg, which was shortened somewhat due to the thaw, but the fans did not get to see a home victory. Florian Clara (ITA), who celebrated his first World Cup victory after 18 years in the World Cup two weeks ago in Laas/Lasa (ITA), delivered again and celebrated his second World Cup victory with a total time of 1.41,36:XNUMX minutes.

Florian Clara won again. © Jana Zischg

His former doubles partner Patrick Pigneter (ITA/+0,46 seconds) came in second, ahead of Fabian Achenrainer (AUT/+0,66), who became Junior World Champion in Mariazell in 2020, among others. For the 24-year-old, it is the first podium finish in the singles in the World Cup. "It's a shame that I didn't get a medal at the World Championships, but at least I now seem to know how to win World Cup races," joked Clara, who, after winning on one of his favorite tracks, has now taken the lead in the overall standings with 330 points, ahead of Scheikl (325) and Alex Oberhofer (ITA/262).

The FIL World Cup in natural track luge continues from February 7-9 in Umhausen with the fifth World Cup and the Eliminator.