South Tyroleans dominate the World Championships in Nova Ponente

The starting position in the men's single-seater after the first run on Saturday promised to be very exciting. The top four with the two South Tyroleans Patrick Pigneter and Alex Gruber, as well as the Austrians Thomas Kammerlander and Michael Scheikl, kept this promise. After the second run on Sunday morning, Pigneter was only 4 seconds ahead of Scheikl and 0,02 seconds ahead of Gruber. Defending champion Kammerlander was also in wait, 0,05 seconds behind Pigneter.

In the final run at noon there was no stopping; the spectator stand in the finish area, which was filled to capacity, had an atmosphere like a football stadium. Kammerlander took the lead, but Gruber took the lead with an excellent drive and a lead of 0,31 seconds. Scheikl was 0,01 seconds ahead of Kammerlander before everyone looked forward to the start to the leader. Pigneter didn't have a good run; with the sixth-best (!) running time, he slipped to an ungrateful fourth place in the final tally, 0,44 seconds behind Gruber. Gruber ends his career with a world title After 2017 (in Vatra Dornei) and 2019 (in Latzfons), Gruber won his third world title in the single-seater, after which he let the cat out of the bag in the winner's interview: “Before the third run, I said to myself at the start that I can do everything If you have to risk it, it will be the gold medal – or fourth place.

Alex Gruber crowns his successful career with another world title. © Martin Taschler / Miriam Jennewein

This third world title was hard fought for - now is the right moment to end my career." Gruber, like Thomas Kammerlander, will put the toboggan in the cellar with the World Cup final in Umhausen (Austria) in a week. Vice world champion Michael Scheikl beamed with silver: “It was an extremely hard race, the tension was enormous. I am very happy with the silver medal.”

“My third run wasn't good, I never thought it would result in a podium finish. I wanted a medal at my last World Championships, “I have it now,” explained Thomas Kammerlander, who had already seen his medal dreams buried. The tragic hero, Patrick Pigneter, took the defeat sportingly: “It is of course extremely bitter, but that is sport. I just wasn't fast enough in the third run." Fourth world title for Lanthaler The third run in the women's single-seater was a triumphant ride for Evelin Lanthaler. The defending champion had a comfortable lead after the two runs on Saturday, and in the final the 31-year-old further extended her lead and confidently won her fourth world championship title.

The beaming winners from left to right: Greta Pinggera, Evelin Lanthaler and Tina Unterberger. © Martin Taschler / Miriam Jennewein

“I was pretty nervous today too, even though my ride was really better this time. But it's a World Cup, which always makes it a little more difficult." Second place went to 2017 world champion Greta Pinggera, bronze went to Tina Unterberger.

In the final team competition, Italy (Lanthaler/Gruber) successfully defended the 2021 World Cup title, ahead of Austria (Unterberger/Scheikl) and Germany (Lisa Walch/Vincent Streit).

The podium in the doubles: Italy won ahead of Austria and Germany. © Martin Taschler / Miriam Jennewein

The President of the International Luge Federation FIL, Einars Fogelis, followed the World Championships in natural track tobogganing on site every two days and was enthusiastic: “It was a first-class World Cup, both from an organizational and sporting point of view. The competitions were top international sport at the highest level.”

24 athletes from 60 nations took part in the 15th FIL World Championships in natural track tobogganing in Deutschnofen/Nova Ponente.

Top 5 single-seater women 1.Evelin Lanthaler (ITA) 2.45,83:XNUMX minutes 2.Greta Pinggera (ITA) +1,53 seconds 3.Tina Unterberger (AUT) +1,89 4.Daniela Mittermair (ITA) +2,74 5.Lisa Walch (GER) +3,32

Top 5 single-seater men 1.Alex Gruber (ITA) 2.43,98:XNUMX minutes 2.Michael Scheikl (AUT) +0,31 seconds 3.Thomas Kammerlander (AUT) +0,32 4.Patrick Pigneter (ITA) +0,44 5.Fabian Brunner (ITA) +0,89

Top 5 team competition 1.Italy (Evelin Lanthaler/Alex Gruber) 1.53,99:XNUMX minutes 2. Austria (Tina Unterberger/Michael Scheikl) 1.54,96 3.Germany (Lisa Walch/Vincent Streit) 1.58,65 4.Slovenia (Meta Mekina/Ziga Kralj) 2.00,13 5.USA (Katie Cookman/Torey Cookman) 2.08,48:XNUMX

Medal table 1.Italy 4/2/0 2.Austria 0/2/2 3.Slovenia, Germany 0/0/1

All-time best list World Championships

Single seater men 5 x Gold: Gerhard Pilz (AUT) 3 x Gold: Patrick Pigneter (ITA), Alex Gruber (ITA) 2 x Gold: Anton Blasbichler (ITA)

Single seater ladies 4 x gold: Ekaterina Lavrenteva (RUS), Evelin Lanthaler (ITA 3 x Gold: Delia Vaudan (ITA)

double seater 5 x Gold: Patrick Pigneter/Florian Clara (ITA) 3 x Gold: Pavel Porshnev/Ivan Lazarev (RUS) 2 x Gold: Wolfgang Schopf/Andreas Schopf (AUT), Andreas Jud/Ernst Oberhammer (ITA)

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South Tyroleans dominate the World Championships in Nova Ponente

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