Jaufental: Historic European Championship title for Austria

This victory will go down in the history books. At the 30th FIL European Natural Track Luge Championships in Jaufental/Val Giovo (ITA), Maximilian Pichler/Nico Edlinger (AUT) raced to the gold medal on Saturday afternoon. It is the first European doubles title for Austria in 22 years.

03. February 2024

From: pm

As we all know, title fights have their own rules, and this old adage has proven true once again. After winning the night race on Friday evening, Matthias Lambacher/Peter Lambacher took to the Tonnerboden track as favorites, with the Azzurri taking the lead in 58,20 seconds. Maximilian Pichler/Nico Edlinger were the last doubles to emerge from the starting line and until the last split everything looked like a sure silver medal. With a brilliant finish, Pichler/Edlinger took almost 0,30 seconds off the leader in the last ten seconds of driving and crossed the finish line as winners in 58,00 seconds. The bronze medal was secured by the newly crowned overall doubles winners in the Junior World Cup, Tobias Paur/Andreas Hofer (ITA/+0,88 seconds).

“We are a bit surprised ourselves, also because we had real difficulties at the first corner. This track doesn't forgive any mistakes and we mastered the target S perfectly. That was the key to success,” says Nico Edlinger happily. “We struck at the right moment and went into today’s race fully motivated,” explains Maximilian Pichler. For Pichler/Edlinger it is the first major title of their young career and at the same time a historic gold medal for Austria. Wolfgang Schopf/Andreas Schopf won the last European doubles title for Austria in 2002 in Frantschach-Sankt Gertraud (AUT).

“Congratulations to Pichler/Edlinger, they deserve the gold medal, they were simply the best today. Of course you always want to win, but that's sport. We are very happy with the silver medal,” explains Peter Lambacher, who is playing a double with his brother Matthias for the first time this season.

“We completely botched the starting curve, so there was nothing more we could do. This bronze medal is undoubtedly another highlight for us in this outstanding season,” says Andreas Hofer, who competed with frontman Tobias Paur at the Junior World Championships on 10/11. Wants to win the gold medal at Winterleiten (AUT) in February.

30th European Championships Natural Track Tobogganing, Top 6 Doubles (03.02.2024/XNUMX/XNUMX)
1. Maximilian Pichler/Nico Edlinger (AUT), 58,00 seconds
2. Matthias Lambacher/Peter Lambacher (ITA), +0,20 seconds
3. Tobias Paur/Andreas Hofer (ITA), +0,88
4. Peter Neupauer/Dominik Neupauer (SVK), +1,76
5. Bine Mekina/Simon Diez (GER), +2,15
6. Tomas Hasek/David Rydl (CZE), +4,21