At the weekend (03.12.2022) the world cup in tobogganing starts in Innsbruck. For the first time, the women’s doubles are also at the start.
The joy was huge when Cheyenne Rosenthal and Jessica Degenhardt got off their sled at the end of January 2022. Because that afternoon in Winterberg, they wrote luge history: they were the first female duo to win the doubles title at a world championship. However, it was a pity that this success went down a bit, Rosenthal told the sports show.
Women’s doubles for the first time in the World Cup
That should change starting this weekend. When the Luge World Cup enters its 45th season, the women’s doubles will be there for the first time. And with it Cheyenne Rosenthal and Jessica Degenhardt, who were nominated for the World Cup races by national coach Norbert Loch. “With these two we have a powerful duo who have already gained experience”Loch said in an interview with the sports show.
Degenhardt and Rosenthal made these experiences last season. Although the women’s doubles event is now celebrating its premiere in Innsbruck with the “big ones”, it is not the first season for the female lugers. Last year, the World Luge Federation introduced the racing series for women’s doubles, but only allowed them to start as part of the Junior World Cup. There Rosenthal/Degenhardt won every race in which they participated.
Degenhardt and Rosenthal have only been together since 2021
The two have only been on the sled together since 2021. For Rosenthal, the doubles excursion was a spontaneous idea after she failed to make the singles World Cup team last season. Degenhardt, on the other hand, comes from the juniors and two years ago won doubles gold at the Youth Olympic Games in St. Moritz.
However, the 20-year-old could only imagine participating in the World Cup and World Championships with Rosenthal. “It not only has to fit on the sled, but also off the track. You have to be a good team in all areas.”so Degenhardt.
Play at the front as a tobogganing nation
Compared to last season, when the women’s doubles raced in the Junior World Cup virtually behind closed doors, the first weekend in Innsbruck will be a change. Especially when it comes to media attention, says Rosenthal. “The camera is held on you at the start. The hustle and bustle around it will simply be bigger. But everything stays the same on the track.” What changes, however, are the competitors: A number of new duos have announced themselves at the start in Innsbruck.
“But we’re coming in as reigning world champions and we’re perfectly capable of fighting for the podiums.”, adds Degenhardt. As a tobogganing nation, that is also what Norbert Loch claims. Nevertheless, the association wants to approach the topic of women’s doubles slowly and only sends one duo into the race, although two more starting places were still available. “Defensive but also progressive at the same time”that’s the motto of the national coach.
Olympia 2026 the big goal
Because the big goal is the 2026 Olympic Games in Milan and cortina d’Ampezzo. It was not until the summer that the International Olympic Committee announced that doubles would be included in the Olympic program – to the astonishment of many who would have preferred the women’s Nordic combined. It came as no great surprise to Loch, although he is conflicted on the subject.
Although he is happy about the equal opportunities that have been achieved, the doubles – regardless of whether it is a man or a woman – is a very difficult discipline. “There it takes a lot of time, a lot of training, a lot of preparation and the athletes should already have experience in singles.”warns Loch, who said the women’s doubles should have featured in recent games in Beijing. “Fortunately, we were able to postpone it by four years because it would have come much too soon.”
Standard slide also in the women’s doubles
Basically, there are no major differences to men. Of course, the physique is different, but when it comes to the rest – the starting process, the ride itself – both sexes don’t take much from each other. However, the male duos have more freedom when choosing their sleds.
The two-seater drivers can only choose between two models from one company. Loch is far from happy with that. “So a company has a monopoly. In a racing sport like tobogganing, you should be able to use the technical possibilities.”, Loch criticizes the standard slide. But you will still work on the sled within the framework of the regulations.
Starting this season, the same starting places for everyone
All the tinkering work has to be done by Saturday at 9 a.m., because that’s when we can start. There are eleven duos, even if 24 would have been allowed – just as many as for the men. And for the first time, men and women also have the same number of starting places in the single-seaters, namely 30.
A step in the right direction for Jessica Degenhardt. She is glad that she has opted for the double seater. And that at a time when the Olympic admission was not yet certain. “That was a shot in the dark. But now many more young athletes have the chance not only to win a medal at the Olympics in singles, but also in doubles.” But first the World Cup and the World Championships 2023 in Oberhof.
