A lot of uncertainty and one absentee at the start

The World Cup season was actually supposed to start last week, but since there would have been no television time due to the World Cup, this race was canceled. It will be made up for in Winterberg at the end of the season.

“Before the first race you never know where you stand. That's why we're as excited as we are every year, maybe a little more because there's a women's doubles team for the first time," says toboggan boss Armin Zöggeler, who is convinced that Dominik Fischnelller will be a force to be reckoned with, even though he's only due to have shoulder surgery was able to start training late. “Dominik always has a positive charisma, and recently he was in a good mood again in training,” Zöggeler is convinced that the Olympic bronze medalist will be fighting for the podium places in Igls.

A new format There were hardly any comparisons with the competition. “We don’t know anything about the Germans, we never crossed paths with them in training,” says Zöggeler. He is most excited to see how things will go in the women's doubles. “We have a double seater with Andrea Vötter and Marion Oberhofer. Both continue to drive single-seaters. “We first have to see what effect this double burden has,” says Zöggeler. By the way, 11 women's doubles are registered for the World Cup opener in Igls.

There is a new man in the support team. The Latvian Juris Sics will be mainly responsible for the double-seater, whose new toboggans he also built. For a long time, Sics and his brother Andris were one of the most successful doubles athletes. The duo called it quits after the Olympic season.

This is the double seater with Andrea Vötter and Marion Oberhofer during training in Igls © Photo Hermann Sobe / Hermann Sobe

The South Tyroleans also have to cope with a loss in Igls. Kevin Filehner won't be at the start due to a knee injury, which Zöggeler naturally regrets: “He's not ready to compete in races at the moment. It's like magic with him. He’s really very unlucky.”

Despite some worrying reports, Zöggeler is still convinced that a bobsleigh and toboggan run will be built in Cortina d'Ampezzo for the 2026 Olympic Games. “Of course I have also heard what has been said in the last few weeks. But I was assured that there is no truth to these rumors. As of today, the old railway will be demolished in the winter and construction of the new one will begin in May/June,” assures Zöggeler.

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A lot of uncertainty and one absentee at the start

The season for artificial track tobogganers begins a week late. Before this start in Igls, the uncertainty is even greater than in other years, and not just because women's doubles are also starting for the first time.

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