Preview Luge World Cup in Lillehammer; Canadians go to Whistler

Lillehammer (pps) World champion Erin Hamlin (USA) has already punched her
ticket for the Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver, Canada. "I'm really happy
that I don't have to worry about the qualifying criteria any more."
This is how the first US gold medal winner at FIL Luge World Championships
commented her fifth place at the World Cup stop in Altenberg - which, at the
same time, is her ticket to the Olympic Games. Germany's women lugers with
Tatjana Huefner, Natalie Geisenberger and Anke Wischnewski - in this line-up
they are currently leading the overall Viessmann Luge World Cup rankings -
can now start planning for the Winter Games on February 12-28, 2010 as well.


"Anyone who knows how to calculate knows that we have qualified", said World
runner-up Natalie Geisenberger prior to the Viessmann Luge World Cup in
Lillehammer, Norway, to take place next week-end (December 12-13, 2009). The
two-time World champion and Olympic bronze medallist Tatjana Huefner added:
"Now, I'm only looking forward to the Olympic Winter Games in February."

While Germany's women lugers have already qualified, the decision as to the
third and last Olympic ticket in the men's singles will be made on the
1994 Olympic track. It seems to be a forgone conclusion that Felix Loch, who
celebrated his first World Cup success in Altenberg after having earned two
World Championship titles, as well as David Moeller will compete at the
Olympic Games. But there is a battle for Germany's third starting place
between Jan Eichhorn, Andi Langenhan and Johannes Ludwig.

Meanwhile, two-time Olympic champion Armin Zoeggeler of Italy does not have
to worry about his start in Vancouver. Despite having suffered his first
defeat this season, he is leading the overall rankings with a total of 285
points. Germany's World silver medallists Andre Florschutz-Torsten Wustlich
are heading the overall rankings in the double-seater thanks to their first
victory in the Olympic season.

Their toughest opponents within the German team - 2002 Olympic champions
Patric Leitner-Alexander Resch - are travelling to Lillehammer with quite
some good memories. Up to now, Leitner-Resch habe not yet been defeated in
Lillehammer. Thus, they earned the victory in November 1999 and then also
took the title at the last stop-over the Viessmann Luge World Cup in
Lillehammer seven years ago. "The track in Lillehammer is our absolute
favourite", explained Patric Leitner.

                            + + +   National Championships in Whistler on December 17, 2009; Canada will not
participate in Viessmann Luge World Cup in Lillehammer

Whistler (pps) Team Canada will not participate in the Viessmann Luge World
Cup event on the 1994 Olympic track in Lillehammer, Norway, next weekend
(December 12-13, 2009). Instead of a start at the fourth event of the luge
World Cup series, Canada's head coach Wolfgang Staudinger
(Germany) prefers training sessions on the future Olympic track in Whistler
for his protégés, with the upcoming 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver
(February 12-28, 2010) in mind. Additionally, the national Canadian
Championships will be carried out in the "Whistler Sliding Center" on
December 17.

Canada's luge team accomplished to create quite some interest in the - not
yet Olympic - Tiscover Team Relay event. The Staudinger protégés celebrated
a victory in Innsbruck-Igls and then finished on third place in Altenberg.
Additionally, Sam Edney showed a convincing performance in the men's
singles, taking eighth place in Altenberg. Moreover Alex Gough, World
Championship fourth-placed, achieved a 12th place in the women's singles
thanks to the seventh-best time in the second run.

                            + + +


International baptism of fire for FIL Junior World Cup Homologation
certificate handed over in Paramonovo

Moscow (pps) The first artificially-iced track in Russia, situated in
Paramonovo, has been officially approved to stage luge events. Prior to the
FIL Junior World Cup next Friday and Saturday (December 11-12), Russia's
national luge federation received the official homologation certificate of
the International Luge Federation, FIL, presented by Klaus Bonsack, chairman
of the FIL Track Construction Commission.                            +    +    +


Schedule - Viessmann Luge World Cup in Lillehammer

Lillehammer (pps) The Viessmann Luge World Cup in Lillehammer, Norway, will
be launched with the decision in the double-seater on Saturday (December 12,
2009 / start at 12:30 hrs). On Sunday (December 13, 2009) the women's
singles will be carried out as of 08:50 hrs, followed by the men's singles
at 12:00 hrs.

Schedule Viessmann Luge World Cup - Lillehammer Saturday, December 12    08.30hrs Tiscover Challenge Cup
                      12:30 hrs double-seater
Sunday, December 13   08:50 hrs women's singles
                      12:00 hrs men's singles