47th Luge World Championships and 2nd Igls 2017 - Men's Singles

Another race, another format, the same podium of two days before!...It will mean something!

Nathalie, Dominik and their oun Martina

"Now he will have to keep his promise to bring me to Brazil, says Nathalie, Dominik's sister, just after the end of the race.

... But let's start from the beginning!

Before the race, in the starting area, we chatted a little with Georg Hackl. The three times Olympic gold from Bischofwiesen (GER) seemed relaxed and positive: "Today is a beautiful day, the sun is shining, the ice is cold and stable and the air is cold and dry. The German team is not dominating as in the past. They are in good shape, but in my opinion they make sometimes a bit too many driving mistakes, but I hope the best for today! I think it will be a good race, closely fought."

On thursday, during the qualifying for Sunday's race, Theo Gruber had clocked a track record, that remained so for 3 days. This despite its time had been the 5th of the day. During the morning  training of the seeded group others had made better than him, but the records settled during trainings have no value. Theo got the bronze at the U23 Worlds. Great weekend for the youngest of the Italian expedition!

On Sunday Wolfgang Kindl beat Theo's record by 93 thousandths and finished the first round in the lead.

Dominik Fischnaller has complicated his life on his own at the start of the first heat, stumbling on the last of the 5 pushes he thought to make: "I'm not very satisfied" - he said immediately after the arrival- "Here and there I made little mistakes that I could have easily avoid." Fortunately, the gaps were tight: Dominik closed 6th at 110 milliseconds from the virtual gold. All the Italians were in the 25 and the last of them, Emanuel Rieder, was just 370 thousandths behind Kindl. The second heat was open to any result.

















As we hoped, Dominik's second run has been at the height of his talent  and he's managed to climb up the ranks to a well deserved bronze! He lost just 10 thousandths from Kindl, settling the second heat time. "It's a  pity! I had the chance to finish second or, who knows... by the moment that the track was faster during the first heat, perhaps I could have also the opportunity to win!" Tells us while is still on the podium after the Flowers Ceremony.  

We spoke also with our doubles to analyse their race. "To arrive 4th in a World Championships doesn't mean anything, " -told Ludwig Rieder- "so in the second run we risked everything and it went how it went!  We have nothing to regret: we made to many mistakes along the route..."

Gruber/Kainzwaldner are Vice Champions of the World U23 "As last year!" jokes Simon between the bored and the amused.

paola castaldi

47th Luge World Championships Igls 2017 - Women

After an unexpected turn of events on Friday, on Saturday the "traditional" World Championships kicked off.

Around the athletes turn an articulated and complex world, where often overlap roles seemingly irreconcilable. During the first run has been fun to see Albert Demchenko so partaker of his daughter Victoria's race to mimic the movements as if he was preparing his own run or Norbert Loch rushing to the rescue to Croatian Daria Obratov, that no one would have represented on the stage, go taking a Croatian flag from her fans to wave it in her support.

More determined than ever, the favored Germans, coming off from some misadventures, that made them appear more "human" than usual.

"In Sigulda I had to give up the race because I had a so strong flu practically not to be standing." -told us Dajana Eitberger on Thursday during the Opening Ceremony - "I tried to make some runs, but I felt terrible and I thought wiser going home to heal me well to face this World Championship in the best possible way! Now I'm not 100%, but I am fine and I will do my best as usual!"
Unfortunately, on Saturday was unable to go beyond the 9th place. On the arrival of her teammate and new World Champion Tatjana, the excellent team result has touched her and her coach Jan Eichhorn and some tear has washed her almost always smiling face.

Also the most favored Geisenberger on Friday had not even seen one of her best days. Due to a mistake, she ended the Sprint in last place. As she left the track her expression was nothing short of grim. However, after a few minutes there appeared much more sad and disappointed, than angry. Saturday was a new day and everyone started from scratch.

First round of the World Championships. Again a serious mistake made Natalie finish in the rear. She ended the first hit just 17th, inside the second to a breath.
Someone even asked if she would have taken off in the second run, but the real athletes are seen at these times: Natalie not only competed, but settled the track record!

10 years after her first gold, Tatjana Hüfner is again World Champion on this track, confirming herself the most successful woman ever in  luge!

However, the most surprising thing occurred behind her: USA, Canada, USA, Canada!

"Despite yesterday's victory, I was very excited because this is the main event!" -said the silver medalist  Erin Hemlin - "The second heat has been certainly not my best run here... and I hoped that it had been not as bad to affect the final result! Luckily it went well and I am very happy. This year the level is very high and we always have to compete to the best of our ability. It's great to see so many different athletes alternating on the podium!"


paola castaldi