Viessmann Luge World Cup Oberhof Preview

The historic luge track in Oberhof will host a World Cup just two weeks ahead of the main event of the season: the 46th International Luge Federation (FIL) World Championships on the artificial track in Königssee. The Oberhof event will put athletes to the test in the Olympic disciplines of men’s luge, women’s luge, doubles and the team relay. It will also act as a dress rehearsal for the World Championship sprint race. The new FIL format will be used at the World Championships in Königssee for the first time.

USA slider Summer Britcher and Wolfgang Kindl from Austria head into the Thuringian Forest leading the Viessmann Luge World Cup standings. By contrast, the roles have been reversed in the doubles. The previous hunters, Tobias Wendl/Tobias Arlt from Germany, have now become the hunted.

The Olympic gold medallists and two-time World Champions currently have a seven point lead over defending champions Toni Eggert/Sascha Benecken. Eggert/Benecken had a huge 70-point advantage going into Sigulda, the fifth round of the Viessmann Luge World Cup. "It’s pretty devastating that a near-crash when we were setting the fastest split times has turned our 70-point advantage into a 7-point deficit," Benecken said. Eggert/Benecken still managed to salvage 20 points by finishing in 21st place – 20 points which could prove vital in the final standings. Eggert/Benecken finished just 16 points ahead of Wendl/Arlt last year.

The situation is equally exciting in the women’s and men’s events. In the women’s luge, Natalie Geisenberger is just 34 points behind Summer Britcher, while Felix Loch has only a 21-point deficit to Wolfgang Kindl in the men’s event. Both Geisenberger and Loch won last year in Oberhof. Felix Loch, who was born in nearby Sonneberg, has fond memories of the track in the Thuringian Forest. Aged 17, he became the youngest athlete to win the World Championship when he clinched his maiden title in Oberhof in 2008.

Tatjana Hüfner, who was narrowly beaten by Tatiana Ivanova (RUS) in Sigulda, is also something of a specialist around the Oberhof track, having claimed four of her 33 World Cup victories here. Her last World Cup win to date came at Oberhof in winter 2013/2014. And it is also worth remembering that the most successful World Championship athlete of all time won her second title in Oberhof in 2008.

Oberhof hosts Viessmann World Cup for 28th time Oberhof (RWH)

The Oberhof luge track is considered technically difficult due to its high speed and a short sequence of tight corners. It is the second oldest artificial ice track in the world after the labyrinthine Königssee track, which is set to host the 46th International Luge Federation (FIL) World Championships at the end of January 2016.

The plans were drawn up in 1969, and the first competition took place here in December 1971. Oberhof was first used for international racing a year later in 1972, and the first major event was the 15th World Championships organized by the International Luge Federation (FIL) in 1973. Thuringia’s winter sports mecca welcomed the FIL family and its championships another two times in 1985 and 2008.

Oberhof has also hosted 27 World Cups to date. The Viessmann World Cup will again be showcased on the track in the Thuringian Forest this weekend, January 16-17, 2016, the 28th time it has been held here.

Screening of the documentary "Being Bruno Banani" in Zella-Mehlis

The documentary "Being Bruno Banani" will be screened during the Viessmann Luge World Cup in Oberhof. The approximately 100-minute film will be shown in the Kino in der Schauburg cinema in Zella-Mehlis daily at 6:30 p.m. starting January 14. The two film-makers Susann Wentzlaff and Jörg Junge will attend the screening on January 14.

The documentary tells the story of Bruno Banani from the Tonga Islands in the South Pacific. Banani was born Fuahea Semi on December 4, 1987, won a casting call in Tonga, and then officially changed his name to Bruno Banani. It was under this name that the now 27-year-old Tongan athlete started competing in the Viessmann Luge World Cup in the 2009/2010 season, where he qualified for the Olympic Winter Games and eventually finished 32nd at Sochi in 2014.

Reinhard Egger set to make international comeback in Oberhof Oberhof

Austrian luger Reinhard Egger, who finished eighth at the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, is set to make his international comeback at the Viessmann Luge World Cup in Oberhof next weekend (January 16-17, 2016). The 26-year-old Tyrolean suffered a herniated disc in August 2015 and had to undergo surgery. His recovery was then hampered by an infection.

Egger competed in the Austrian Championships between Christmas and New Year, finishing third in his return to racing. "Things are feeling good on the track. I’m still lacking momentum and power at the start, but that will come with time," Egger said.

The Oberhof timetable

Date Discipline Local time

January 16, 2016

1st run, men’s singles 09:00

2nd run, men’s singles 10:25

1st run, women’s singles 13:30

2nd run, women’s singles 14:50

January 17, 2016

1st run, doubles 11:00

2nd run, doubles 12:20

BMW Sprint 13:45

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