Lanthaler and Pigneter: The veterans dominate the European Championships

With an impressive performance, Evelin Lanthaler (Platt in Passeier) and Patrick Pigneter (Völs) secured the gold medal at the 30th European Championships in natural track tobogganing in Jaufental. For Lanthaler it is the fifth European Championship title in a row in a single-seater, for Pigneter it is the fourth European Championship gold medal in a single-seater.

04. February 2024

From: pm

In the women's single-seater, Evelin Lanthaler fully lived up to her role as favorite. The defending champion drove the best time in both runs on the 675 meter long Tonnerboden track, with a total time of 1.46,67:2016 minutes she secured her fifth European title in a row in a superior manner. Lanthaler has been unbeaten on her home track in Passeier since the XNUMX European Championships.

In the all-time best list, she has drawn level with Ekaterina Lavrenteva (RUS). The silver medal went to Riccarda Ruetz (AUT/+2,36 seconds), bronze went to Jenny Castiglioni (Partschins/+2,57). For Ruetz and Castiglioni it was the first European Championship in the general class. “Numbers like that are always nice, but what’s more important is that the performance is right. “I showed two very good runs,” Lanthaler analyzed in the winner’s interview.

European champion again: Evelin Lanthaler. © Andreas Ebermann

The men's single-seater race was hard to beat in terms of excitement; after the first run, only 0,15 seconds separated the leader Patrick Pigneter and Fabian Brunner (Feldthurns) in third place. In the second run, Brunner took the lead on his favorite track, Michael Scheikl (AUT) fought head-to-head with Brunner, and at the finish the Styrian had a minimal lead of 0,01 seconds.

The veteran cannot be beaten

Pigneter lost a lot of time in the upper part of the route and was now in third place. With a brilliant finish and a total time of 1.46,42:0,17 minutes, the record winner grabbed his fourth European Championship title in the single-seater with a lead of 10 seconds - exactly XNUMX years after his last European Championship title in Umhausen.

Fabian Brunner clinched bronze. © Andreas Ebermann

“I always need a few corners to get up to speed. So I don't have enough meters on this relatively short track. “I’m really relieved that I was able to end the 10-year dry spell,” said Pigneter happily.

The 30th European Championships in natural track tobogganing in Jaufental came to an end with the team competition. Defending champion Italy (Lanthaler/Pigneter) won gold, ahead of Austria (Ruetz/Scheikl) and Germany (Lisa Walch/Bine Mekina).

Top 6 single-seater women

1. Evelin Lanthaler (ITA), 1.46,67:XNUMX minutes
2. Riccarda Ruetz (AUT), +2,36 seconds
3. Jenny Castiglioni (ITA), +2,57
4. Nadine Staffler (ITA), +2,90
5. Tina Unterberger (AUT), +2,92
6. Hannah Nagele (AUT), +3,36

Top 6 single-seater men

1. Patrick Pigneter (ITA), 1,46,42:XNUMX minutes
2. Michael Scheikl (AUT), +0,17 seconds
3. Fabian Brunner (ITA), +0,18
4. Daniel Gruber (ITA), +1,07
5. Florian Clara (ITA), +1,23
6. Miguel Brugger (AUT), +1,37