Three-time Olympic luge champion Felix Loch has caused Max Langenhan's first defeat of the season. On the ice track in Altenberg, Saxony, the athlete from Berchtesgaden came out on top on Friday with a lead of 0.13 seconds over the 24-year-old World Cup leader from Friedrichroda and Timon Grancagnolo from Chemnitz. The 34-year-old Loch thus rehabilitated himself for his penultimate place in the last World Cup race in Whistler, Canada, with a successful World Cup dress rehearsal in Saxony. The World Championships will take place in Altenberg at the end of January.
In the women's event, Loch's teammate Anna Berreiter took the title. The 24-year-old reigning world champion won by a large margin ahead of Melina Fischer from Zwickau (1.24 seconds behind) and Alina Bräutigam from RRV Sonneberg/Schalkau. World Cup leader Julia Taubitz from WSC Erzgebirge Oberwiesenthal missed the second run.
In the doubles' event, six-time Olympic and nine-time world champions Tobias Wendl and Tobias Arlt from the Berchtesgaden/Königssee racing team had to give way to Hannes Orlamünder/Paul Gubitz from Zella-Mehlis. The women's competition was won by Jessica Degenhardt and Cheyenne Rosenthal. The duo from the Altenberg/Winterberg racing team thus defended their title, as did Loch and Berreiter.
