FIL World Luge Championships 2008
The 40th FIL World Luge Championships was held from 24 to 27 January 2008 on the ice rink in Oberhof,.
It was the third World Cup in Oberhof after the World Championships in 1973 and 1985, and the second major sporting event of the year in Oberhof, after the Biathlon World Cup shortly before.
Preparatory work and social program
The luge track Oberhof was renovated in 2006 for four million euros. It Start new houses were built, moved the target area and the curve Seven rebuilt. In addition, we built two new grandstands, three video screens and a new scoreboard. Ticket sales went well, such that for all three race days the tickets were sold out for the target area. The athletes were preparing since January 21 before the event on site. An official opening ceremony took place on the evening of 24 January from 20.00 clock in the town's spa gardens instead, as a special guest occurred singer Ute Freudenberg. Award ceremonies took place in the evening on 25 and 26 January in the park, the "flower ceremonies " and the award ceremony on the final day were held at the track. The closing ceremony took place on January 27 at 15.00 clock. Within a school project sponsorships were taken for all participating nations. Head of the organizing committee was Bernd Rossmann. Some 250 volunteers were at the World Cup for use. These included 60 folders, 30 judges, 100 supply forces, 15 cashiers, ten drivers and 30 soldiers, as well as mountain rescue members. The WM budget was 630,000 euros. The organizers were expecting 7,000 to 10,000 daily viewers, at the end of 17,000 visitors were counted. The official song for the World Cup, " adrenaline ", was sung by the young German luger Sascha Beneken.
Participant
The German hosts went as the defending champion in all four competitions in the race. 2007 won in Igls among women Huefner, in the men's David Moeller, in a double Patric Leitner and Alexander Resch, as well as in the team competition, the German team. The team competition was first held at this World Cup as a relay competition. Two weeks earlier, the Luge Championships 2008 took place in Cesana Pariol, in which the German team but comparatively disappointing section and won gold only by the young Geisenberger. Far more successful it ran there on their home track for the Italian team by winning gold by Armin Zöggeler among men and by the double top Christian pride and Patrick Gruber. Switzerland, too, and especially Austria, particularly through the bronze medal by Veronika Halder, were able to record good results in Cesana. Latvia surprised with the European title in the team competition.
At the World Championships in addition to the European team also participated starter from North America and Asia. Especially the starters from North America were part of the extended circle of contenders in some competitions. Originally reported 25 national associations for the event, after Argentina, Croatia, Hungary, Sweden and Venezuela had canceled, the participants reduced to starters from 21 nations. In the previous year 27 nations took part. It started athletes from Australia, Bulgaria, Germany, France, Great Britain, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Moldova, Austria, Poland, Romania, Russia, Switzerland, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Czech Republic, Ukraine and the United States. A total of 42 men, 36 women and 24 doubles were reported, of which but not all competed.
Results
Women
Date: January 25, 2008 At the start were a total of 30 athletes. For the second passage resigned from the ten lowest ranked gymnasts. The weather was sunny and windy. In the brackets behind the maturities of the placings in the individual runs are given.
Date: January 26, 2008 At the start were a total of 38 luger. For the second passage is only the top 25 starters the first run qualified. The weather was sunny and windy. In the brackets behind the maturities of the placings in the individual runs are given.
Two-seater
Date: January 27, 2008 At the start were a total of 23 double sledge. For the second passage is qualified only the best 18 teams. The weather was bad due to continuous rain and some gusty wind. In the brackets behind the maturities of the placings in the individual runs are given.
Team race
Date: January 27, 2008 At the start, a total of eight teams. The competition was first not held in Single Race, the individual results were then added to a team result, but as a relay competition. At the finish, the athletes had to trigger a mechanism that displayed the following starters in continuous time starting their release. First, the two-seater entered the race, then the women and finally the men 's singles. The parentheses after the maturities indicate the positioning within the group.