In January, Oberhof welcomes the world’s best tobogganists on the world’s most modern toboggan run. The system is already being highly praised.
“Everything has become very chic – the wood, the optics, the lights, the large changing rooms, the new starting heights.” Max Langenhan literally goes into raptures when he talks about the new toboggan run that has just opened in Oberhof.
Felix Loch: In Praise of the Ice Master
From January 23 to 29, 2023, the new toboggan world champions will be sought here. The stars of the scene will lack for nothing. Even in the past, the toboggan run in the Thuringian Forest was in a class of its own. “The rink is always in top condition, the ice master does a great job and fulfills our every wish. We like to complain about the ice expansion and he always tries to prepare the rink for us the way we want it”, said Felix Loch, who became world champion for the first time in 2008 in Oberhof. 15 years later he could repeat this feat on the magnificent track.
The state and federal government invested almost 40 million euros in this. In the course of the conversion, the curves were changed and the technology and cooling of the track were modernized. The ice channel received a new roof. In addition, the infrastructure on the site was improved and a junior academy was built. This means that the railway will be state-of-the-art for the next 20 years.
Anna Berreiter still having starting problems
So the youngsters can be happy – just like the top tobogganists who have perfect training and competition conditions. However, even the best still have to get used to the new conditions.
Anna Berreiter celebrated her first World Cup victory in Oberhof and is now toying with a medal at the World Championships. During the last training rides it didn’t work as desired. “The track that suits me – I didn’t think so for a moment during the last selection week. But the pressure is there because you feel like performing and showing what you can do. I still have a little bit at the start what to do,” said the 23-year-old from RC Berchtesgaden.
View of the ice arena in Oberhof in the evening.
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