After the disappointment in the doubles, Max Langenhan and Felix Loch caused storms of celebration in Altenberg on Saturday (January 27th, 2024).
Germany’s biggest toboggan trump card has won! After silver in the sprint on Friday, Max Langenhan tobogganed to victory in the individual at the home World Championships in Altenberg. The 24-year-old from Friedrichroda was fastest in both rounds and won gold ahead of the Austrian Nico Gleirscher and his teammate Felix Loch.
Hole overjoyed with bronze
In the competition in which fractions of a second decide, old master Loch cheered at least as loudly as Langenhan. After a difficult season, the 34-year-old made it onto the podium in third place, but benefited from the fact that Dominik Fischnelller (Italy), who was on course for a medal, made a serious mistake.
Once again, however, his teammate, who was ten years his junior, was on the move. Its steep climb is impressive. At the World Championships in Oberhof a year ago, Langenhan won silver – and his best career result at the time. The men’s decision was the only one in which Germany did not win a gold medal. This “blemish” didn’t bother Langenhan twelve months ago, but now he would have been less happy about silver.
“I needed this run,” said Langenhan, hugging his roommate Loch and cheering on ZDF: “We have a medal together. Crazy.” Loch, who became world champion in Altenberg in 2012, was so overwhelmed by the bronze that tears came to his eyes and he was almost speechless. The “tinkering” with the sled after the first run was crucial. Together with the technicians, Loch had turned the crucial screws that made him faster.
Double-seater: German toboggans despair at curve 9
There was previously frustration instead of joy among the German women’s doubles team: at the home World Cup, of all places, pretty much everything went wrong for Jessica Degenhardt/Cheyenne Rosenthal and Dajana Eitberger/Saskia Schirmer. As in the sprint, they came away empty-handed. The Austrian doubles Selina Egle and Lara Kipp won ahead of the Latvians Anda Upite/Zane Kaluma and Chevonne Forgan/Sophia Kirby (USA).
The World Cup in Altenberg? One to forget for the defending champions Jessica Degenhardt/Cheyenne Rosenthal. After the penultimate place in the sprint on Friday, nothing went well for the two doubles on Saturday either.
Curve 9 is a tripping hazard
The World Cup leaders and newly crowned European champions were far off the podium in 13th place. 13th place was a huge surprise and bitter disappointment for the highly rated duo. As in the sprint, turn 9 proved to be a pitfall. The two of them’s sleds were sometimes standing sideways on the track. “Curve 9 didn’t want to go with us and we didn’t want to go with it”said local hero Degenhardt, who grew up on this track and competed in countless races, but when it came to winning World Cup medals, her nerves gave out.
Thomas Kunze, Sportschau, January 27, 2024 12:37 p.m
Eitberger/Schirmer as sixth best doubles
Dajana Eitberger/Saskia Schirmer (Ilmenau/Berchtesgaden) also started with medal ambitions and had their sights on the medals in fourth place after the first round. But the dreams were shattered – of course in turn 9. As with Degenhardt/Rosenthal, the exit failed. Eitberger/Schirmer fell back to sixth place. Eitberger was annoyed that “You were not prepared for these changeable conditions” and said ““It’s brutally frustrating and really hurts.”. Eitberger only switched from singles to doubles last season.
Storch/Patz still passed through
The third German sled with Elisa-Marie Storch/Pauline Patz (Suhl/Schmalkalden) lost further places after ninth place in the first run with a botched second run and was passed from ninth to twelfth place.
Medal blessing last year
Last year, the German lugers won eight of nine world championship titles and another eight medals.