The red-white-red protégés of Christian Eigentler, who is entering his second season as head coach, are hoping for a repeat of last year’s strong performance, where they recorded 14 wins and 37 podium places. “We carried out our program in the best possible way and were able to do our homework in the athletic area and in building the sled,” said Eigentler, satisfied with the preparation.
“The bottom line is that we have a lot of quality in our ranks and want to meet our high sporting standards again this year.” The ÖRV team has been in Lake Placid since November 29th. Eleven sleds are set for the start of the World Cup. Only Barbara Allmaier, who is competing in her first full World Cup season in the single-seater, has to qualify through the Nations Cup. Three doubles and four singles per nation are eligible to compete in the World Cup. The women’s team also includes Madeleine Egle, Hannah Prock, Lisa Schulte and the doubles Selina Egle/Lara Kipp.
Tobogganing: World Cup start in Lake Placid
The World Cup luge season begins in Lake Placid on Friday. The Austrian teams hope for success. In 2019, Jonas Müller was able to secure victory.
In the men’s category, alongside Kindl David and Nico Gleirscher, Jonas Müller as well as Juri Gatt/Riccardo Schöpf, Yannick Müller/Armin Frauscher and Steu/Kindl are fighting for podium places. Also taking part overseas is teenager Noah Kallan, who celebrates his 19th birthday on Saturday in Lake Placid. The Salzburger should gain track experience in training and in the Nations Cup.
APA/EXPA/Erich Spiess ÖRV head coach Christian Eigentler hopes for a similarly successful season as 2022/23
Double burden for Kindl “big challenge”
For veteran Kindl, the double burden “will definitely be a big challenge, but I see it as an additional stimulus to become even more complete in sledding. The desire for the season is huge. “Lake Placid and Whistler are both tracks where I have already won, so I’m really looking forward to it,” said the 35-year-old. In preparation he concentrated more on the doubles and thus on the role as successor to the resigned Lorenz Koller.
ORF timetable
Freitag:
3:00 p.m. or 4:45 p.m.: Men’s doubles *
3:45 p.m. ** or 5:35 p.m.: women’s doubles *
6:40 p.m. or 8:10 p.m.: Men’s single-seater *
Saturday:
3:30 p.m. or 4:50 p.m.: Women’s single-seater *
6.15 p.m.: Sprint *
* live in ORF Sport +
** live in der ORF-TVthek
In the men’s single-seater, the quartet around world champion Müller wants to stand up to competitors such as overall World Cup defending champion Dominik Fiwickeler from Italy and the Germans Felix Loch and Max Langenhan. Madeleine Egle is still suffering from the effects of bursitis in her right shoulder, but her goals for the season are clear. “I want to compete for medals at the home European Championships and the World Cup, and the overall World Cup is also an issue,” explained the Tyrolean. The strongest opponents are probably Julia Taubitz and Anna Bereiter from Germany.
“There will be some bruises”
The overall World Cup runners-up and vice world champions Egle/Kipp are getting to know the track in Lake Placid for the first time. “The track is difficult, there will probably be some bruises,” said Selina Egle. From this season onwards, the women’s doubles will be an integral part of the team relay, which is now made up of four disciplines. There are a total of nine World Cup weekends this winter, three of which also include sprint competitions. The World Cup in Innsbruck-Igls (January 13/14, 2024) also counts as the European Championship.
