Final stage of the Luge World Cup starts at the "Sanki" in Sochi

The next Test Event at the Sliding Center "Sanki" begins on 19 February 2013 – the final stage of the Luge World Cup. More than 60 members of the Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee will welcome all the guests and participants along with the International Luge Federation (FIL) and national sports federations. More than 130 athletes from 29 countries will gather in Sochi to compete for the Luge World Cup and test the venue that will host the Olympic bobsleigh, skeleton and luge competitions in 2014.

The final stage of the Luge World Cup is the fourth Sochi 2014 Test Event at the Sliding Center "Sanki" this season. After International training weeks in luge (November 2012) and bobsleigh and skeleton (February 2013), and the final stage of the FIBT Bobsleigh and Skeleton World Cup successfully completed last week, the organizers of the Games are ready for this important event on the luge and bobsleigh track.

The competition will involve some of the world’s biggest luge stars including two-time Olympic champion Armin Zöggeler (Italy), 2010 Olympic champion Felix Loch (Germany), 2006 Olympic silver medalist and twice 2012 World Championships silver medalist Albert Demchenko (Russia), 2010 Olympic champion Tatjana Hüfner (Germany), multiple world champion Natalie Geisenberger (Germany), multiple World Championships medalist Alex Gough (Canada), 2012 World Championships twice silver medalist and three-time European champion Tatiana Ivanova (Russia) and many others.

On February 19-21 at the Sliding Center "Sanki" track, there will be a series of official training runs for the World Cup. On February 22, the Nations Cup will be held, and on February 23, the competition in the women's singles and men's doubles luge. On February 24, the competition program will end with the men's singles luge and relay. At the end of the competition the winners of the overall standings of the 2012/13 World Cup will be awarded in various categories.

The Test Event at the Sliding Center "Sanki" will be held with the support of Ingosstrakh, a Sochi 2014 Partner.

Josef Fendt, President of the International Luge Federation (FIL):

"Following the successful test runs in March 2012, the future Olympic artificial track in Sochi is celebrating its debut as the venue of the World Cup final in this pre-Olympic season. The athletes who participated in the homologation process have given quite positive feedback on the demands of the track and we are now looking forward to exciting competitions from all luge athletes.

"We know that the organization and staging of such World Cup races requires a lot of hard work and dedication in its preparation which is only possible with the help of a large staff made in part of volunteers and friends of the sport of luge. I am certain that the organization team will offer a superbly organized event for all athletes and their coaches and assistants."

For more information contact: Xenia Reizhevskaya, Sochi 2014 Head of Press Office, +7 925 999 2551

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