2012/2013 Winter Sports Thread
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Luge World Cup
Eggert and Benecken beat World Cup leaders in Oberhof
Toni Eggert and Sascha Benecken inflicted a first World Cup doubles luge defeat and further European Championship misery on fellow Germans Tobias Wendl and Tobias Arlt as they took victory in Oberhof.
Wendl and Arlt looked to be well on their way to a sixth straight World Cup win from the six rounds so far this season and first career European title on home ice after posting the quickest time of round one on home ice.
They even set a start record on run two in Oberhof however they lost speed thereafter in comparison to Eggert and Benecken, who after three second places and a third this season, finally claimed a victory.
With the Oberhof World Cup also doubling up as the European Championships, Eggert and Benecken claimed their maiden continental title as well while Wendl and Arlt were left with silver for the third time running.
Eggert and Benecken, third at the Europeans last year, clocked an overall winning time of 1:23.240minutes for first place with Wendl and Arlt, who set a start record of 6.520seconds on run two, just 0.022 behind in the runners-up spot.
Peter Penz and Georg Fischler, the defending European champions, did enough to claim third 0.224 behind Eggert and Benecken but 0.126 ahead of Italian's Christian Oberstolz and Patrick Gruber in fourth.
However the result sees the Austrian duo fall from second in the overall rankings to third being overtaken by Eggert and Benecken who decrease Wendl and Arlt's lead from 130 points to 118.
Geisenberger claims European title as Germany dominate
Natalie Geisenberger claimed her second successive World Cup win and second career European title as Germany completely dominated once again on home ice in Oberhof.
Geisenberger was victorious last time out in Koenigssee, that her third World Cup win of the season, ahead of German team-mates Carina Schwab in second and Aileen Frisch in third.
And there was to be no denying Geisenberger or Germany as the circuit moved across the nation to Oberhof with the 24-year-old the winner and two of her compatriots on the podium.
Tatjana Hufner and Anke Wischnewski finished second and third respectively with another German, Dajana Eitberger, fourth and Geisenberger returning the European title to the country.
Russia's Tatiana Ivanova arrived as the two-time defending European champion but it was clear from the off that Geisenberger, the 2008 champion, would dethrone her as she finished 11th.
She topped the time sheets at the end of run one after clocking 41.764 and then maintained her lead with an effort of 41.833 second time out for an overall winning time of 1:23.597 minutes.
Hufner was second after run one and remained there while Wischnewski was third throughout, Eitberger was fourth throughout and the first non-German Alex Gough was fifth for the duration.
Hufner finished 0.187 behind Geisenberger with Wischnewski a further 0.112 adrift with the margin thereafter between her and Canadian Gough 0.105.
Eggert and Benecken beat World Cup leaders in Oberhof
Toni Eggert and Sascha Benecken inflicted a first World Cup doubles luge defeat and further European Championship misery on fellow Germans Tobias Wendl and Tobias Arlt as they took victory in Oberhof.
Wendl and Arlt looked to be well on their way to a sixth straight World Cup win from the six rounds so far this season and first career European title on home ice after posting the quickest time of round one on home ice.
They even set a start record on run two in Oberhof however they lost speed thereafter in comparison to Eggert and Benecken, who after three second places and a third this season, finally claimed a victory.
With the Oberhof World Cup also doubling up as the European Championships, Eggert and Benecken claimed their maiden continental title as well while Wendl and Arlt were left with silver for the third time running.
Eggert and Benecken, third at the Europeans last year, clocked an overall winning time of 1:23.240minutes for first place with Wendl and Arlt, who set a start record of 6.520seconds on run two, just 0.022 behind in the runners-up spot.
Peter Penz and Georg Fischler, the defending European champions, did enough to claim third 0.224 behind Eggert and Benecken but 0.126 ahead of Italian's Christian Oberstolz and Patrick Gruber in fourth.
However the result sees the Austrian duo fall from second in the overall rankings to third being overtaken by Eggert and Benecken who decrease Wendl and Arlt's lead from 130 points to 118.
Geisenberger claims European title as Germany dominate
Natalie Geisenberger claimed her second successive World Cup win and second career European title as Germany completely dominated once again on home ice in Oberhof.
Geisenberger was victorious last time out in Koenigssee, that her third World Cup win of the season, ahead of German team-mates Carina Schwab in second and Aileen Frisch in third.
And there was to be no denying Geisenberger or Germany as the circuit moved across the nation to Oberhof with the 24-year-old the winner and two of her compatriots on the podium.
Tatjana Hufner and Anke Wischnewski finished second and third respectively with another German, Dajana Eitberger, fourth and Geisenberger returning the European title to the country.
Russia's Tatiana Ivanova arrived as the two-time defending European champion but it was clear from the off that Geisenberger, the 2008 champion, would dethrone her as she finished 11th.
She topped the time sheets at the end of run one after clocking 41.764 and then maintained her lead with an effort of 41.833 second time out for an overall winning time of 1:23.597 minutes.
Hufner was second after run one and remained there while Wischnewski was third throughout, Eitberger was fourth throughout and the first non-German Alex Gough was fifth for the duration.
Hufner finished 0.187 behind Geisenberger with Wischnewski a further 0.112 adrift with the margin thereafter between her and Canadian Gough 0.105.
Skeleton World Cup
Dukurs edges closer to another World Cup title
Olympic silver medallist Martins Dukurs moved ever closer to retaining his skeleton World Cup title for the fourth successive time after taking his fourth successive win in Koenigssee.
Dukurs travelled across Germany from the last round in Altenberg to Koenigssee with five victories from six races so far this season and 17 from the last 22 World Cup rounds.
The 28-year-old effectively had win number six for the season wrapped up at the halfway stage after posting the quickest time by almost half a second after the first run.
Dukurs was not to be denied during the second run and even pushed his rivals further back to win by 0.47seconds with Frank Rommel second and Alexander Tretiakov third.
The win also sees Dukurs take the early lead in the race for the Triple Trophy, a newly-established high-money competition incorporating the last three World Cup rounds.
Dukurs was the only slider to break the 51-second barrier in the first run, posting 50.93 with Germany's Rommel 0.42 behind on home ice in Koenigssee.
He led team-mate Alexander Kroeckel by 0.09, the German level with Russian Tretiakov in third, while Dukurs' older brother Tomass was joint fifth 0.23 further adrift.
And Martins Dukurs took his advantage from 0.42 to 0.47 after posting 51.14 on his second outing with Rommel maintaining second and Tretiakov moving up to third.
The Russian swapped placed with Kroeckel after going far quicker than him second time out with Tomass Dukurs finishing just 0.01 behind the German in fifth.
Meanwhile British slider Dominic Parsons had the best result of his fledgling career to date as he impressively jumped from 15th after the first run to seventh after the second.
Parsons bettered his first run effort from 52.39 to 51.74 to break into the top ten while fellow Brit Kristan Bromley, the 2008 World Cup champion, feel from 14th to 18th.
That marks Bromley's worst result of the season so far with team-mate Ed Smith suffering a similar fate as he failed to improve his first round ranking of 19th.
Dukurs edges closer to another World Cup title
Olympic silver medallist Martins Dukurs moved ever closer to retaining his skeleton World Cup title for the fourth successive time after taking his fourth successive win in Koenigssee.
Dukurs travelled across Germany from the last round in Altenberg to Koenigssee with five victories from six races so far this season and 17 from the last 22 World Cup rounds.
The 28-year-old effectively had win number six for the season wrapped up at the halfway stage after posting the quickest time by almost half a second after the first run.
Dukurs was not to be denied during the second run and even pushed his rivals further back to win by 0.47seconds with Frank Rommel second and Alexander Tretiakov third.
The win also sees Dukurs take the early lead in the race for the Triple Trophy, a newly-established high-money competition incorporating the last three World Cup rounds.
Dukurs was the only slider to break the 51-second barrier in the first run, posting 50.93 with Germany's Rommel 0.42 behind on home ice in Koenigssee.
He led team-mate Alexander Kroeckel by 0.09, the German level with Russian Tretiakov in third, while Dukurs' older brother Tomass was joint fifth 0.23 further adrift.
And Martins Dukurs took his advantage from 0.42 to 0.47 after posting 51.14 on his second outing with Rommel maintaining second and Tretiakov moving up to third.
The Russian swapped placed with Kroeckel after going far quicker than him second time out with Tomass Dukurs finishing just 0.01 behind the German in fifth.
Meanwhile British slider Dominic Parsons had the best result of his fledgling career to date as he impressively jumped from 15th after the first run to seventh after the second.
Parsons bettered his first run effort from 52.39 to 51.74 to break into the top ten while fellow Brit Kristan Bromley, the 2008 World Cup champion, feel from 14th to 18th.
That marks Bromley's worst result of the season so far with team-mate Ed Smith suffering a similar fate as he failed to improve his first round ranking of 19th.
Bobsleigh World Cup
Rush wins in Koenigssee
World Cup leader Lyndon Rush claimed his second two-man bobsleigh win of the season in Koenigssee as Craig Pickering enjoyed an unspectacular debut with British pilot John Jackson.
Rush, alongside brakeman Jesse Lumsden, led from start to finish in Germany as only one home sled finished in the top three that of Francesco Friedrich and partner Gino Gerhardi in third.
Latvia's Oskars Melbardis claimed second while former British sprinter Pickering, pushing for the first time at a World Cup event, and pilot Jackson finished joint 19th.
Rush was the only pilot to break the 50-second barrier during the first run, clocking 49.98 seconds, however Melbardis wasn't too far away and just 0.05 behind in second.
However Rush wasn't troubled by the Latvian and his second run of 50.24 was far better than Melbardis' with the Canadian's overall winning margin 0.38.
Friedrich moved up from fourth to second ahead of Alexandr Zubkov while Jackson and Pickering clocked 50.74 on their first run and 51.17 on their second.
Jackson and Pickering were joined in Koenigssee by another British crew but Lamin Deen and Ben Simons only took to the ice once after their effort of 51.48 put them outside the top 20 in 29th.
Rush wins in Koenigssee
World Cup leader Lyndon Rush claimed his second two-man bobsleigh win of the season in Koenigssee as Craig Pickering enjoyed an unspectacular debut with British pilot John Jackson.
Rush, alongside brakeman Jesse Lumsden, led from start to finish in Germany as only one home sled finished in the top three that of Francesco Friedrich and partner Gino Gerhardi in third.
Latvia's Oskars Melbardis claimed second while former British sprinter Pickering, pushing for the first time at a World Cup event, and pilot Jackson finished joint 19th.
Rush was the only pilot to break the 50-second barrier during the first run, clocking 49.98 seconds, however Melbardis wasn't too far away and just 0.05 behind in second.
However Rush wasn't troubled by the Latvian and his second run of 50.24 was far better than Melbardis' with the Canadian's overall winning margin 0.38.
Friedrich moved up from fourth to second ahead of Alexandr Zubkov while Jackson and Pickering clocked 50.74 on their first run and 51.17 on their second.
Jackson and Pickering were joined in Koenigssee by another British crew but Lamin Deen and Ben Simons only took to the ice once after their effort of 51.48 put them outside the top 20 in 29th.
Alpine Skiing World Cup
McKennis leaves Vonn chasing shadows in St Anton
Alice McKennis underlined the depth of American alpine skiing with her maiden World Cup downhill victory in St Anton on Saturday.
While all eyes were on Vonn who was making her comeback following a three-week break, McKennis stole the show in one minute and 14.62 seconds
The Colorado skier, 23, was the fourth American downhill specialist on a women's World Cup podium this season after Vonn, Stacey Cook and Leanne Smith while youngster Mikaela Shiffrin emerged as the new slalom sensation this winter.
"It hasn't sunk in yet. I cannot really understand what's happening. It's a total surprise. I never thought I could win such a difficult downhill, I was aiming at a top 10 finish," a jubilant McKennis said.
McKennis made the best of the peculiar conditions - the start was brought down to the Super-G start after fresh snow fell overnight, forcing organisers to work hard on the piste for the race to go ahead.
The American's previous best World Cup result had been seventh in Schladming last season.
"The key was probably the early start number and the smooth course. Still this is totally beyond my imagination," she added.
In the finish area, she was cheered on by Vonn, back from taking time off to deal with health and personal problems.
The four-times World Cup champion, who made official her divorce from Thomas Vonn this week, had to be content with sixth place, 0.34 seconds behind her compatriot.
"The break did me a lot of good. It had been 11 years since I hadn't spent New Year’s Eve at home. This was just a return race. I'm going to improve with each race," she said.
"I'm really happy for Alice as she has had lots of injuries in the past. I think everybody in the team has been on the podium this season which is great."
Italy's Daniela Merighetti was second, 0.07 seconds adrift while Austria's Anna Fenninger, fresh from a giant slalom victory in Semmering, was 0.16 off the pace and finished third.
World Cup leader Tina Maze of Slovenia was a solid fourth, 0.30 behind, and took her overall lead to 488 points over Germany's Maria Hoefl-Riesch.
"It's a shame not to be on the podium but it's also good to know I can do well in a downhill. I left the incident of straddling a gate in Zagreb behind me and I'm sticking to my plan to rake each race as it comes and see where we are in March," she said.
Sunday's Super-G on the same Karll Schranz course will be another important goal for the Slovenian, as it is the only discipline in which she has yet to win a World Cup race.
Ligety wins Adelboden at last
A last gasp mistake by arch-rival Marcel Hirscher handed Ted Ligety his first victory in the classic giant slalom in Adelboden.
Ligety clinched his 15th top spot in the discipline in a combined time of two minutes 28.67 seconds.
The world champion owed his fourth win of the winter to World Cup holder Hirscher.
Austrian Hirscher, who had been on the podium of the last nine giant slaloms he entered, was leading Ligety by more than a second when he missed a gate close to the finish line and had to settle for 16th place.
Ligety beat Germans Fritz Dopfer, 1.15 seconds adrift, and in-form Felix Neureuther, who finished 0.09 behind his team-mate.
With 15 giant slalom wins, Ligety became the third most successful skier in the discipline, level with Italy's Alberto Tomba and behind Swede Ingemar Stenmark and Swiss Michael von Gruenigen.
"I absolutely wanted to win this because it was a real chance to seize," said Hirscher after he was to explain why he did not ski more conservatively.
"Today I stretched my limits but it's good to see you can beat Ligety. I took too many risks and I paid the full price."
Ligety's victory was well deserved.
"I really went after this one. It took so long it's a real relief. Okay, it was handed to me by Marcel but I'm not going to refuse it," he said.
"Marcel should have won this but the same thing happened to me here a couple of years ago when I lost after a silly mistake close to the finish.
"It's a shame but that's skiing. I'm really proud of this for it was the only classic I had yet to win.".
Ligety had never been able to even reach the podium on the Swiss giant slalom course, lined as usual by some 40,000 fans.
While Ligety made a giant step towards claiming back the discipline's crystal globe in this last giant slalom before the world championships in Schladming next month, Hirscher lost precious points in the race for the big globe.
His closest rival Aksel Lund Svindal made it clear he was far from giving up with a good sixth place, 1.86 behind Ligety, yet he was disappointed after winning on the same slope two years ago.
"After being fourth in the morning run, I was expecting better than a sixth place. I can't win giant slaloms like I used to but I really look for a podium," he said.
The Norwegian is only 26 points behind Hirscher in the overall standings, making Sunday's slalom on the same piste another key race for the Austrian, who will have the double pressure of defending his crown and collecting vital points.
McKennis leaves Vonn chasing shadows in St Anton
Alice McKennis underlined the depth of American alpine skiing with her maiden World Cup downhill victory in St Anton on Saturday.
While all eyes were on Vonn who was making her comeback following a three-week break, McKennis stole the show in one minute and 14.62 seconds
The Colorado skier, 23, was the fourth American downhill specialist on a women's World Cup podium this season after Vonn, Stacey Cook and Leanne Smith while youngster Mikaela Shiffrin emerged as the new slalom sensation this winter.
"It hasn't sunk in yet. I cannot really understand what's happening. It's a total surprise. I never thought I could win such a difficult downhill, I was aiming at a top 10 finish," a jubilant McKennis said.
McKennis made the best of the peculiar conditions - the start was brought down to the Super-G start after fresh snow fell overnight, forcing organisers to work hard on the piste for the race to go ahead.
The American's previous best World Cup result had been seventh in Schladming last season.
"The key was probably the early start number and the smooth course. Still this is totally beyond my imagination," she added.
In the finish area, she was cheered on by Vonn, back from taking time off to deal with health and personal problems.
The four-times World Cup champion, who made official her divorce from Thomas Vonn this week, had to be content with sixth place, 0.34 seconds behind her compatriot.
"The break did me a lot of good. It had been 11 years since I hadn't spent New Year’s Eve at home. This was just a return race. I'm going to improve with each race," she said.
"I'm really happy for Alice as she has had lots of injuries in the past. I think everybody in the team has been on the podium this season which is great."
Italy's Daniela Merighetti was second, 0.07 seconds adrift while Austria's Anna Fenninger, fresh from a giant slalom victory in Semmering, was 0.16 off the pace and finished third.
World Cup leader Tina Maze of Slovenia was a solid fourth, 0.30 behind, and took her overall lead to 488 points over Germany's Maria Hoefl-Riesch.
"It's a shame not to be on the podium but it's also good to know I can do well in a downhill. I left the incident of straddling a gate in Zagreb behind me and I'm sticking to my plan to rake each race as it comes and see where we are in March," she said.
Sunday's Super-G on the same Karll Schranz course will be another important goal for the Slovenian, as it is the only discipline in which she has yet to win a World Cup race.
Ligety wins Adelboden at last
A last gasp mistake by arch-rival Marcel Hirscher handed Ted Ligety his first victory in the classic giant slalom in Adelboden.
Ligety clinched his 15th top spot in the discipline in a combined time of two minutes 28.67 seconds.
The world champion owed his fourth win of the winter to World Cup holder Hirscher.
Austrian Hirscher, who had been on the podium of the last nine giant slaloms he entered, was leading Ligety by more than a second when he missed a gate close to the finish line and had to settle for 16th place.
Ligety beat Germans Fritz Dopfer, 1.15 seconds adrift, and in-form Felix Neureuther, who finished 0.09 behind his team-mate.
With 15 giant slalom wins, Ligety became the third most successful skier in the discipline, level with Italy's Alberto Tomba and behind Swede Ingemar Stenmark and Swiss Michael von Gruenigen.
"I absolutely wanted to win this because it was a real chance to seize," said Hirscher after he was to explain why he did not ski more conservatively.
"Today I stretched my limits but it's good to see you can beat Ligety. I took too many risks and I paid the full price."
Ligety's victory was well deserved.
"I really went after this one. It took so long it's a real relief. Okay, it was handed to me by Marcel but I'm not going to refuse it," he said.
"Marcel should have won this but the same thing happened to me here a couple of years ago when I lost after a silly mistake close to the finish.
"It's a shame but that's skiing. I'm really proud of this for it was the only classic I had yet to win.".
Ligety had never been able to even reach the podium on the Swiss giant slalom course, lined as usual by some 40,000 fans.
While Ligety made a giant step towards claiming back the discipline's crystal globe in this last giant slalom before the world championships in Schladming next month, Hirscher lost precious points in the race for the big globe.
His closest rival Aksel Lund Svindal made it clear he was far from giving up with a good sixth place, 1.86 behind Ligety, yet he was disappointed after winning on the same slope two years ago.
"After being fourth in the morning run, I was expecting better than a sixth place. I can't win giant slaloms like I used to but I really look for a podium," he said.
The Norwegian is only 26 points behind Hirscher in the overall standings, making Sunday's slalom on the same piste another key race for the Austrian, who will have the double pressure of defending his crown and collecting vital points.
Cross-Country Skiing World Cup
Peterson claims sprint victory in Liberec
Teodor Peterson claimed his first World Cup victory of the season with a perfectly-timed charge in the sprint in Liberec.
Peterson ensured Sweden warmed up for Sunday's team sprint races by leading a one-two with compatriot Emil Joensson in the Czech Republic, both skiers clocking 3:30.5 minutes.
Having led heading into the final stages Norway's duo of Paal Golberg and Eirik Brandsdal were forced to settle for third and fourth respectively.
Peterson looked out of the running heading into the business end of the race, however having employed the most intelligent line and tactics, it was the Swede who was triumphant.
Meanwhile Mona-Liisa Malvalehto sprung something of an upset by upstaging the queen of women's cross country Justyna Kowalyczyk in their sprint race.
The Finnish skier led from start to finish on a reduced course of 0.85km to take the victory – her first World Cup triumph – in 2:03.8m inutes.
Maiken Caspersen Falla of Norway completed the podium behind Kowalyczyk and a delighted Malvalehto said: “It is a big day for me.
“It was a very good course and for me it was not too long.”
Peterson claims sprint victory in Liberec
Teodor Peterson claimed his first World Cup victory of the season with a perfectly-timed charge in the sprint in Liberec.
Peterson ensured Sweden warmed up for Sunday's team sprint races by leading a one-two with compatriot Emil Joensson in the Czech Republic, both skiers clocking 3:30.5 minutes.
Having led heading into the final stages Norway's duo of Paal Golberg and Eirik Brandsdal were forced to settle for third and fourth respectively.
Peterson looked out of the running heading into the business end of the race, however having employed the most intelligent line and tactics, it was the Swede who was triumphant.
Meanwhile Mona-Liisa Malvalehto sprung something of an upset by upstaging the queen of women's cross country Justyna Kowalyczyk in their sprint race.
The Finnish skier led from start to finish on a reduced course of 0.85km to take the victory – her first World Cup triumph – in 2:03.8m inutes.
Maiken Caspersen Falla of Norway completed the podium behind Kowalyczyk and a delighted Malvalehto said: “It is a big day for me.
“It was a very good course and for me it was not too long.”
Nordic Combined World Cup
Chappuis upset on home soil by Edelmann
There was disappointment for the home fans in Chaux-Neuve as Nordic Combined World Cup leader Jason Lamy Chappuis could only finish sixth with Germany's Tino Edelmann claiming the win.
The 26-year-old Lamy Chappuis, who has won their last three World Cup titles, started the cross-country well back after a poor showing in the ski jumping.
He mounted a valiant effort, at one point moving up as high as fourth before eventually fading on the final lap as the leaders upped the pace.
Edelmann was in the front group from the start and finished the quickest, with long-time leader Akito Watabe eventually relegated to third behind Austria's Bernhard Gruber.
Despite recording his worst finish of the season to date, Lamy Chappuis actually extended his lead at the top of the world standings with Norway’s second-placed Magnus Moan well off the pace back in 26th place.
Gruber's second place was also enough to push him into third place overall in the world standings.
Chappuis upset on home soil by Edelmann
There was disappointment for the home fans in Chaux-Neuve as Nordic Combined World Cup leader Jason Lamy Chappuis could only finish sixth with Germany's Tino Edelmann claiming the win.
The 26-year-old Lamy Chappuis, who has won their last three World Cup titles, started the cross-country well back after a poor showing in the ski jumping.
He mounted a valiant effort, at one point moving up as high as fourth before eventually fading on the final lap as the leaders upped the pace.
Edelmann was in the front group from the start and finished the quickest, with long-time leader Akito Watabe eventually relegated to third behind Austria's Bernhard Gruber.
Despite recording his worst finish of the season to date, Lamy Chappuis actually extended his lead at the top of the world standings with Norway’s second-placed Magnus Moan well off the pace back in 26th place.
Gruber's second place was also enough to push him into third place overall in the world standings.
Biathlon World Cup
Fourcade reigns in sprint
Martin Fourcade continued his perfect weekend in Ruhpolding by claiming the 10km sprint event to extend his lead at the top of the World Cup standings.
The Frenchman blew away the rest of the field, shooting clear to come home in 23:51.5, 16 seconds clear of Russia’s Evgeny Ustyugov.
Another Russian, Andrei Makoveev, completed the podium, with Fourcade’s closest challenger in the overall standings, Norway’s Emil Hegle Svendsen, coming home in fourth.
Fourcade, who won the overall World Cup title last season, was clearly in top form having already led France to victory in the relay on Thursday.
And he was not to be denied in Germany, wrapping up his fourth World Cup success of the season so far.
The 24-year-old now has 504 points, 63 points clear of Svendsen, with Utyugov in third.
Fourcade reigns in sprint
Martin Fourcade continued his perfect weekend in Ruhpolding by claiming the 10km sprint event to extend his lead at the top of the World Cup standings.
The Frenchman blew away the rest of the field, shooting clear to come home in 23:51.5, 16 seconds clear of Russia’s Evgeny Ustyugov.
Another Russian, Andrei Makoveev, completed the podium, with Fourcade’s closest challenger in the overall standings, Norway’s Emil Hegle Svendsen, coming home in fourth.
Fourcade, who won the overall World Cup title last season, was clearly in top form having already led France to victory in the relay on Thursday.
And he was not to be denied in Germany, wrapping up his fourth World Cup success of the season so far.
The 24-year-old now has 504 points, 63 points clear of Svendsen, with Utyugov in third.
Ski Jumping World Cup
Jacobsen claims Zakopane triumph
Anders Jacobsen proved his form in the Four Hills Tournament was far from a fluke as he took his third World Cup win of the season ahead of compatriot Anders Bardal in Zakopane.
The 27-year-old won the first two rounds of the Four Hills Tournament at the end of December and start of January before relinquishing the overall lead to defending champion Gregor Schlierenzauer.
Jacobsen was 15th in his first outing since in Wisla on Wednesday however he was back among the winners as the World Cup circuit travelled across Poland to Zakopane.
He won with an overall total of 273.3 with defending World Cup champion Bardal second with 271.6 and home hope Kamil Stoch down in third with 268.7.
Stoch actually led after round one, the Pole one of three to jump 133m but awarded the best score, 141.2, while Jacobsen was second with 137.8 after a leap of 128.5m.
And as Stoch fell after jumping 127m second time out Jacobsen went from second to first and Bardal from fifth to second with the biggest leap of the round.
Jacobsen's effort of 131.5m put the pressure on Stoch who couldn't do enough to hold on to first place while Bardal's leap of 132m was responsible for his rise.
Schlierenzauer was eighth but still leads the overall World Cup standings with 840 points with Bardal way off in second with 655 and Jacobsen third with 578.
Hendrickson wins in Hinterzarten
Defending women's World Cup champion Sarah Hendrickson claimed her second win of the season in Hinterzarten as title rival Daniela Iraschko suffered a serious-looking injury.
The 18-year-old, who claimed nine World Cup wins on the way to the title last season, travelled across Germany for the seventh competition of the season ranked fourth in the overall standings.
Hendrickson won the second event in Sochi but has struggled on her four outings since finishing seventh twice and 11th and then fifth in the two competitions in Schonach last time out.
However she was back to her best in Hinterzarten and produced the biggest jump of the second round to move from second after round one to first with World Cup leader Sara Takanashi second.
Takanashi recorded the best leap of round one, 99m, but was forced into a lengthy delay after Iraschko fell on her landing before appearing to get her left leg caught in the snow.
She was stretchered off the slope before Takanashi's jump that, despite being the biggest, ranked her third behind Coline Mattel of France and then Hendrickson.
Takanashi threatened to steal the win from both after jumping 98m second time out for an overall total of 242.4 but American Hendrickson had other ideas.
She went even better, recording a leap of 98.5m for a winning total of 243.6 with Mattel unable to respond to either as the last jumper out with her effort of 97.5m giving her 240.4 for third.
Takanashi still leads the overall World Cup standings with 570 points with Hendrickson now second with 421, Mattel third with 408 and Iraschko fourth with 390.
Jacobsen claims Zakopane triumph
Anders Jacobsen proved his form in the Four Hills Tournament was far from a fluke as he took his third World Cup win of the season ahead of compatriot Anders Bardal in Zakopane.
The 27-year-old won the first two rounds of the Four Hills Tournament at the end of December and start of January before relinquishing the overall lead to defending champion Gregor Schlierenzauer.
Jacobsen was 15th in his first outing since in Wisla on Wednesday however he was back among the winners as the World Cup circuit travelled across Poland to Zakopane.
He won with an overall total of 273.3 with defending World Cup champion Bardal second with 271.6 and home hope Kamil Stoch down in third with 268.7.
Stoch actually led after round one, the Pole one of three to jump 133m but awarded the best score, 141.2, while Jacobsen was second with 137.8 after a leap of 128.5m.
And as Stoch fell after jumping 127m second time out Jacobsen went from second to first and Bardal from fifth to second with the biggest leap of the round.
Jacobsen's effort of 131.5m put the pressure on Stoch who couldn't do enough to hold on to first place while Bardal's leap of 132m was responsible for his rise.
Schlierenzauer was eighth but still leads the overall World Cup standings with 840 points with Bardal way off in second with 655 and Jacobsen third with 578.
Hendrickson wins in Hinterzarten
Defending women's World Cup champion Sarah Hendrickson claimed her second win of the season in Hinterzarten as title rival Daniela Iraschko suffered a serious-looking injury.
The 18-year-old, who claimed nine World Cup wins on the way to the title last season, travelled across Germany for the seventh competition of the season ranked fourth in the overall standings.
Hendrickson won the second event in Sochi but has struggled on her four outings since finishing seventh twice and 11th and then fifth in the two competitions in Schonach last time out.
However she was back to her best in Hinterzarten and produced the biggest jump of the second round to move from second after round one to first with World Cup leader Sara Takanashi second.
Takanashi recorded the best leap of round one, 99m, but was forced into a lengthy delay after Iraschko fell on her landing before appearing to get her left leg caught in the snow.
She was stretchered off the slope before Takanashi's jump that, despite being the biggest, ranked her third behind Coline Mattel of France and then Hendrickson.
Takanashi threatened to steal the win from both after jumping 98m second time out for an overall total of 242.4 but American Hendrickson had other ideas.
She went even better, recording a leap of 98.5m for a winning total of 243.6 with Mattel unable to respond to either as the last jumper out with her effort of 97.5m giving her 240.4 for third.
Takanashi still leads the overall World Cup standings with 570 points with Hendrickson now second with 421, Mattel third with 408 and Iraschko fourth with 390.
Freestyle Skiing Slopestyle World Cup
James Woods high after slopestyle win
James Woods continues to make history in the slopestyle World Cup after picking up his second successive win in Copper Mountain.
The 20-year-old made history at the season opener in Ushuaia, Argentina back in September becoming the first British man to win a World Cup.
And, despite the four-month gap in between rounds one and two, Woods hasn't lost his form and took a historic second win in Colorado.
Woods won by six points at the season opener, just his second career slopestyle World Cup start, however the margin was far slimmer this time.
He posted a winning score of 93.4 on his second run and had to rise to the challenge posted by Russell Henshaw who recorded 92.2 first time out.
Canada's Alex Beaulieu-Marchand took third with 90.4 while Woods' fellow Brits Paddy Graham and Andrew Matthew placed 29th and 114th respectively.
With two of five rounds completed, the third scheduled for Switzerland next month, Woods now has a clear lead at the top of slopestyle World Cup standings.
Woods has 200 points to his name, 90 ahead of Beaulieu-Marchand in second and 120 in front Swede Henrik Harlaut and Henshaw in joint third.
Meanwhile in the women's event, American Keri Herman also maintained her unbeaten start to the season with a second straight win on Copper Mountain.
Herman won with her first run score of 87.0 with Canadian Dara Howell second with 85.8 and Australian Anna Segal third with 85.0.
Her lead at the top of the overall women's slopestyle World Cup standings isn't as great as Woods' though with Howell 60 behind Herman with 140.
James Woods high after slopestyle win
James Woods continues to make history in the slopestyle World Cup after picking up his second successive win in Copper Mountain.
The 20-year-old made history at the season opener in Ushuaia, Argentina back in September becoming the first British man to win a World Cup.
And, despite the four-month gap in between rounds one and two, Woods hasn't lost his form and took a historic second win in Colorado.
Woods won by six points at the season opener, just his second career slopestyle World Cup start, however the margin was far slimmer this time.
He posted a winning score of 93.4 on his second run and had to rise to the challenge posted by Russell Henshaw who recorded 92.2 first time out.
Canada's Alex Beaulieu-Marchand took third with 90.4 while Woods' fellow Brits Paddy Graham and Andrew Matthew placed 29th and 114th respectively.
With two of five rounds completed, the third scheduled for Switzerland next month, Woods now has a clear lead at the top of slopestyle World Cup standings.
Woods has 200 points to his name, 90 ahead of Beaulieu-Marchand in second and 120 in front Swede Henrik Harlaut and Henshaw in joint third.
Meanwhile in the women's event, American Keri Herman also maintained her unbeaten start to the season with a second straight win on Copper Mountain.
Herman won with her first run score of 87.0 with Canadian Dara Howell second with 85.8 and Australian Anna Segal third with 85.0.
Her lead at the top of the overall women's slopestyle World Cup standings isn't as great as Woods' though with Howell 60 behind Herman with 140.
Gössner currently on the 9th place. She had a lot of bad shootings so far, but she runs pretty fast. Go baby, go!
Edit: She finished with the 8th place.
Edit: She finished with the 8th place.
Nordic Combined World Cup
Edelmann and Frenzel win team sprint in Chaux-Neuve
Tino Edelmann showed greater speed than his rivals at the end of the 2x7.5km team sprint as he and Eric Frenzel won the second Nordic combined World Cup of its kind in Chaux-Neuve.
Edelmann and Frenzel were well placed for victory after ranking second with a total of 254.7 following the ski jumping phase just seven seconds behind Austrian duo Christoph Bieler and Bernhard Gruber.
However they found the going tough in the cross-country ski and only a late burst from Edelmann in a sprint finish with Norway and France ensured the Germans took the win.
Bieler and Gruber earned 258.0 points to lead after the ski jumping with the Germans second and Japanese duo Yoshito Watabe and Hideki Nagai third with 240.3 and a 35-second deficit.
Home duo Sebastien Lacroix and Jason Lamy Chappuis were fourth two seconds further back while the first Norwegian pair of Magnus Moan and Joergen Graabak were fifth 50 seconds behind overall.
The cross-country ski saw the winners of the first team sprint of the season, Bieler and Gruber, tail off, eventually finishing sixth, along with the Japanese pair, who were to come in as low as 12th.
And as that happened the German, Norwegian and French pairs bunched together towards the end with Frenzel and Edelmann coming out on top with a time of 36:51.0minutes.
Norway and France trailed 1.4 seconds behind with Graabak and Lamy Chappuis neck and neck with the finishing line beckoning and both stretching to claim second place.
A photo finished ensued with Graabak awarded second ahead of Lamy Chappuis with fourth-place occupied by the No.2 German pairing of Johannes Rydzek and Bjoern Kircheisen.
Edelmann and Frenzel win team sprint in Chaux-Neuve
Tino Edelmann showed greater speed than his rivals at the end of the 2x7.5km team sprint as he and Eric Frenzel won the second Nordic combined World Cup of its kind in Chaux-Neuve.
Edelmann and Frenzel were well placed for victory after ranking second with a total of 254.7 following the ski jumping phase just seven seconds behind Austrian duo Christoph Bieler and Bernhard Gruber.
However they found the going tough in the cross-country ski and only a late burst from Edelmann in a sprint finish with Norway and France ensured the Germans took the win.
Bieler and Gruber earned 258.0 points to lead after the ski jumping with the Germans second and Japanese duo Yoshito Watabe and Hideki Nagai third with 240.3 and a 35-second deficit.
Home duo Sebastien Lacroix and Jason Lamy Chappuis were fourth two seconds further back while the first Norwegian pair of Magnus Moan and Joergen Graabak were fifth 50 seconds behind overall.
The cross-country ski saw the winners of the first team sprint of the season, Bieler and Gruber, tail off, eventually finishing sixth, along with the Japanese pair, who were to come in as low as 12th.
And as that happened the German, Norwegian and French pairs bunched together towards the end with Frenzel and Edelmann coming out on top with a time of 36:51.0minutes.
Norway and France trailed 1.4 seconds behind with Graabak and Lamy Chappuis neck and neck with the finishing line beckoning and both stretching to claim second place.
A photo finished ensued with Graabak awarded second ahead of Lamy Chappuis with fourth-place occupied by the No.2 German pairing of Johannes Rydzek and Bjoern Kircheisen.
Ski Jumping World Cup
Takanashi gets Hinterzarten revenge on Hendrickson
World Cup leader Sara Takanashi responded to defending champion Sarah Hendrickson's victory in the first of two events in Hinterzarten by impressively winning the second.
Takanashi had to make do with second behind Hendrickson on Saturday as the American claimed her first ski jumping World Cup win since round two in Sochi at the start of December.
However Takanashi proved she isn't prepared to relinquish her overall lead easily as she returned 24 hours later to beat Hendrickson as well as Austrian Jacqueline Seifriedsberger.
Seifriedsberger led both 18-year-old Hendrickson and 16-year-old Takanashi after the first round in Hinterzarten following a jump of 103m which gave her 125.6 points overall.
Hendrickson also leapt 103m but didn't earn enough style points and had to make do with 125.1 while Takanashi jumped just 98m but was still awarded 123.3.
And if the Japanese ski jumper's first-round effort was seemingly below par her second was the opposite as she recorded a distance of 105m for a winning total of 247.5.
That bettered Anette Sagen's best leap of round one, which placed her fourth, by 1.5m while Hendrickson's effort of 101.5m gave her 245.9 for second and Seifriedsberger's 102.5m, 244.5 for third.
Sagen was back in fourth with Takanashi's lead at the top of the overall World Cup standings now 169 points ahead of defending and inaugural champion Hendrickson.
Takanashi gets Hinterzarten revenge on Hendrickson
World Cup leader Sara Takanashi responded to defending champion Sarah Hendrickson's victory in the first of two events in Hinterzarten by impressively winning the second.
Takanashi had to make do with second behind Hendrickson on Saturday as the American claimed her first ski jumping World Cup win since round two in Sochi at the start of December.
However Takanashi proved she isn't prepared to relinquish her overall lead easily as she returned 24 hours later to beat Hendrickson as well as Austrian Jacqueline Seifriedsberger.
Seifriedsberger led both 18-year-old Hendrickson and 16-year-old Takanashi after the first round in Hinterzarten following a jump of 103m which gave her 125.6 points overall.
Hendrickson also leapt 103m but didn't earn enough style points and had to make do with 125.1 while Takanashi jumped just 98m but was still awarded 123.3.
And if the Japanese ski jumper's first-round effort was seemingly below par her second was the opposite as she recorded a distance of 105m for a winning total of 247.5.
That bettered Anette Sagen's best leap of round one, which placed her fourth, by 1.5m while Hendrickson's effort of 101.5m gave her 245.9 for second and Seifriedsberger's 102.5m, 244.5 for third.
Sagen was back in fourth with Takanashi's lead at the top of the overall World Cup standings now 169 points ahead of defending and inaugural champion Hendrickson.
Alpine Skiing World Cup
Maze wins St Anton Super-G race
Tina Maze became only the sixth woman to win in all five Alpine ski World Cup disciplines when she took victory in the Arlberg super-G on Sunday.
The Slovenian's sixth race win of the season, in one minute 16.55 seconds, completed the set for Maze, who now looks almost certain to win the overall World Cup given her enormous lead over her rivals.
The 29-year-old Maze, who had earned eight podium places in super-G before Sunday, joined Lindsey Vonn, Janica Kostelic, Anja Paerson, Pernilla Wiberg and Petra Kronberger among the women skiers crowned in every discipline.
"It was a big dream. I'd been thinking about winning in all five disciplines for a long time. I knew I had a good chance here and I gave it my all because I knew it was really a chance not to be missed," Maze told reporters.
"It's a great reward for me and a great achievement for my team. For a such a small team to achieve what we're doing this season is simply extraordinary. I'm over the moon," she added.
It was, though, a close call for the giant slalom world champion as she beat local favourite Anna Fenninger by 0.04 seconds on a tough, technical Klaus Schranz piste.
Fenninger, the winner of a giant slalom in Semmering a week ago and third in Saturday's downhill, will be Austria's best hope at home in the world championships in Schladming next month.
"It's disappointing to lose by 0.04 but at the same time it was my goal to be entered in four disciplines in Schladming," said the Fenninger, who will defend her super-combined world title.
Swiss Fabienne Suter pushed Vonn off the podium by 0.01 seconds to take third place.
Four-times World Cup champion Vonn, who was joint sixth on Saturday after taking a self-imposed three-week break, finished exactly a second behind Maze.
"It's a shame to miss the podium by 0.01 seconds but it's harder to take a break in the middle of the season," said the American.
"I'll be back to my best in Cortina (d'Ampezzo next week). As for Tina, well she's just running away with the Cup, isn't she?"
In the World Cup overall standings, Maze leads nearest rival Maria Hoefl-Riesch of Germany by 545 points while her total of 1,289 points is more than twice as much as any other skier.
Hirscher wins again in Adelboden
Austria's Marcel Hirscher won his third World Cup slalom in succession on Sunday, fighting back from the disappointment of the previous day.
With a blistering second run, the World Cup holder and leader came back from eighth in the morning leg to win in a combined time of one minute 51.75 seconds.
Beaten in Saturday's giant slalom after a bad mistake on one of the last gates, Hirscher reasserted his supremacy and increased his lead in the World Cup overall standings to 126 points over Norway's Aksel Lund Svindal.
"Obviously, it's not the same outcome as yesterday. Sometimes you make the most of the opportunity and sometimes you push too hard," Hirscher told reporters.
"It has nothing to do with pressure as I handle it well when I'm leading after the first run. It's just that today's second run was extraordinary. I've surprised myself," said the Austrian, the first skier to win the Adelboden slalom twice.
Svindal, his main rival for the big globe who does not take part in slaloms, acknowledged the exceptional performance by the Austrian when he wrote on his Twitter account: "Wow, Marcel Hirscher!"
Winner in Madonna di Campiglio, Zagreb and Adelboden as well as finishing on the podium of the two other slaloms held this season, Hirscher is now a comfortable leader in the discipline's World Cup.
Holder Andre Myhrer of Sweden straddled a gate in the second leg for the first time since the same race a year ago.
Veteran Mario Matt, who was in the top three in Zagreb a week ago, finished second, 0.30 seconds adrift.
It was the 33-year-old Austrian's 36th World Cup podium in a slalom.
"There's a mix of generations but I wouldn't say Mario Matt is an old skier, he's just a very good skier you can never rule out", said Hirscher.
Italy's Manfred Moelgg, fastest in the first leg, finished third, 0.62 adrift for his first slalom podium spot in three years.
The men's circuit remains in Switzerland for next week's traditional racing weekend in Wengen.
Maze wins St Anton Super-G race
Tina Maze became only the sixth woman to win in all five Alpine ski World Cup disciplines when she took victory in the Arlberg super-G on Sunday.
The Slovenian's sixth race win of the season, in one minute 16.55 seconds, completed the set for Maze, who now looks almost certain to win the overall World Cup given her enormous lead over her rivals.
The 29-year-old Maze, who had earned eight podium places in super-G before Sunday, joined Lindsey Vonn, Janica Kostelic, Anja Paerson, Pernilla Wiberg and Petra Kronberger among the women skiers crowned in every discipline.
"It was a big dream. I'd been thinking about winning in all five disciplines for a long time. I knew I had a good chance here and I gave it my all because I knew it was really a chance not to be missed," Maze told reporters.
"It's a great reward for me and a great achievement for my team. For a such a small team to achieve what we're doing this season is simply extraordinary. I'm over the moon," she added.
It was, though, a close call for the giant slalom world champion as she beat local favourite Anna Fenninger by 0.04 seconds on a tough, technical Klaus Schranz piste.
Fenninger, the winner of a giant slalom in Semmering a week ago and third in Saturday's downhill, will be Austria's best hope at home in the world championships in Schladming next month.
"It's disappointing to lose by 0.04 but at the same time it was my goal to be entered in four disciplines in Schladming," said the Fenninger, who will defend her super-combined world title.
Swiss Fabienne Suter pushed Vonn off the podium by 0.01 seconds to take third place.
Four-times World Cup champion Vonn, who was joint sixth on Saturday after taking a self-imposed three-week break, finished exactly a second behind Maze.
"It's a shame to miss the podium by 0.01 seconds but it's harder to take a break in the middle of the season," said the American.
"I'll be back to my best in Cortina (d'Ampezzo next week). As for Tina, well she's just running away with the Cup, isn't she?"
In the World Cup overall standings, Maze leads nearest rival Maria Hoefl-Riesch of Germany by 545 points while her total of 1,289 points is more than twice as much as any other skier.
Hirscher wins again in Adelboden
Austria's Marcel Hirscher won his third World Cup slalom in succession on Sunday, fighting back from the disappointment of the previous day.
With a blistering second run, the World Cup holder and leader came back from eighth in the morning leg to win in a combined time of one minute 51.75 seconds.
Beaten in Saturday's giant slalom after a bad mistake on one of the last gates, Hirscher reasserted his supremacy and increased his lead in the World Cup overall standings to 126 points over Norway's Aksel Lund Svindal.
"Obviously, it's not the same outcome as yesterday. Sometimes you make the most of the opportunity and sometimes you push too hard," Hirscher told reporters.
"It has nothing to do with pressure as I handle it well when I'm leading after the first run. It's just that today's second run was extraordinary. I've surprised myself," said the Austrian, the first skier to win the Adelboden slalom twice.
Svindal, his main rival for the big globe who does not take part in slaloms, acknowledged the exceptional performance by the Austrian when he wrote on his Twitter account: "Wow, Marcel Hirscher!"
Winner in Madonna di Campiglio, Zagreb and Adelboden as well as finishing on the podium of the two other slaloms held this season, Hirscher is now a comfortable leader in the discipline's World Cup.
Holder Andre Myhrer of Sweden straddled a gate in the second leg for the first time since the same race a year ago.
Veteran Mario Matt, who was in the top three in Zagreb a week ago, finished second, 0.30 seconds adrift.
It was the 33-year-old Austrian's 36th World Cup podium in a slalom.
"There's a mix of generations but I wouldn't say Mario Matt is an old skier, he's just a very good skier you can never rule out", said Hirscher.
Italy's Manfred Moelgg, fastest in the first leg, finished third, 0.62 adrift for his first slalom podium spot in three years.
The men's circuit remains in Switzerland for next week's traditional racing weekend in Wengen.
Luge World Cup
World Cup leader Loch wins first European title
Felix Loch claimed his third win of the luge World Cup season and first career European title as Germany dominated the men's event much like they did the women's on home ice in on Oberhof.
The 23-year-old defending World Cup champion has been as consistent as ever this season with four top-three finishes, including two wins, ahead of round six and the fourth on German soil.
However, of those two wins, the last came two rounds ago in Altenberg at the start of December yet any thinking that Loch, who was fourth last time out, was slipping was proved wrong in Oberhof.
For he put in a record-breaking performance to take the win, and European title with the round doubling up as the continental championships, ahead of Andi Langenhan and Johannes Ludwig.
With Natalie Geisenberger winning the women's even ahead of fellow Germans Tatjana Hufner and Anke Wischnewski, the men's result ensured the nation dominated back-to-back events in Oberhof.
Olympic and world champion Loch got off to the perfect start on home ice, breaking the start record on his first run which also saw him go on to set a new track record of 43.512seconds.
That put Loch, whose start was 7.113, well ahead of Russian Albert Demchenko in second with his teammate Semen Pavlichenko occupying third before the first German Langenhan.
And, while Loch didn't match his first-run efforts second time out, he didn't get knocked off top spot with his time of 43.745 giving him an overall winning time of 1:27.257.
It was all change behind him though as defending European champion Langenhan jumped up to second after clocking 43.807 while Ludwig moved from fifth to third after a 43.913.
Langenhan was 0.390 off Loch with Ludwig a further 0.129 adrift while Demchenko fell four places to sixth and Pavlichenko one place to fourth overall after poor second outings.
Germany's dominance completed with relay win
Germany rounded off a dominant European Luge Championships, and sixth World Cup round, in Oberhof in style as they won the mixed team relay for the first time in seven years.
The host nation completed a clean sweep of the individual events hours before the start of the relay as World Cup leader Felix Loch won the men’s race.
That came after Toni Eggert and Sascha Benecken had won the doubles and Natalie Geisenberger the women's events on home ice 24 hours beforehand.
More than that, World Cup leaders Tobias Wendl and Tobias Arlt joined Eggert and Benecken on the doubles podium in second while Germany had one-two-three's in the men's and women's events.
Victory in the mixed team relay was therefore expected and Germany didn't disappoint as Geisenberger, Loch and Eggert and Benecken combined to win by almost half a second.
The Germans posted a winning time of 2:24.291minutes with the Italian team of Sandra Gasparini, Armin Zoeggeler and Christian Oberstolz and Patrick Gruber taking second.
Oberstolz and Gruber actually posted a quicker doubles time than their German rivals but it mattered little with defending European champions Russian 0.757 behind overall for third.
World Cup leader Loch wins first European title
Felix Loch claimed his third win of the luge World Cup season and first career European title as Germany dominated the men's event much like they did the women's on home ice in on Oberhof.
The 23-year-old defending World Cup champion has been as consistent as ever this season with four top-three finishes, including two wins, ahead of round six and the fourth on German soil.
However, of those two wins, the last came two rounds ago in Altenberg at the start of December yet any thinking that Loch, who was fourth last time out, was slipping was proved wrong in Oberhof.
For he put in a record-breaking performance to take the win, and European title with the round doubling up as the continental championships, ahead of Andi Langenhan and Johannes Ludwig.
With Natalie Geisenberger winning the women's even ahead of fellow Germans Tatjana Hufner and Anke Wischnewski, the men's result ensured the nation dominated back-to-back events in Oberhof.
Olympic and world champion Loch got off to the perfect start on home ice, breaking the start record on his first run which also saw him go on to set a new track record of 43.512seconds.
That put Loch, whose start was 7.113, well ahead of Russian Albert Demchenko in second with his teammate Semen Pavlichenko occupying third before the first German Langenhan.
And, while Loch didn't match his first-run efforts second time out, he didn't get knocked off top spot with his time of 43.745 giving him an overall winning time of 1:27.257.
It was all change behind him though as defending European champion Langenhan jumped up to second after clocking 43.807 while Ludwig moved from fifth to third after a 43.913.
Langenhan was 0.390 off Loch with Ludwig a further 0.129 adrift while Demchenko fell four places to sixth and Pavlichenko one place to fourth overall after poor second outings.
Germany's dominance completed with relay win
Germany rounded off a dominant European Luge Championships, and sixth World Cup round, in Oberhof in style as they won the mixed team relay for the first time in seven years.
The host nation completed a clean sweep of the individual events hours before the start of the relay as World Cup leader Felix Loch won the men’s race.
That came after Toni Eggert and Sascha Benecken had won the doubles and Natalie Geisenberger the women's events on home ice 24 hours beforehand.
More than that, World Cup leaders Tobias Wendl and Tobias Arlt joined Eggert and Benecken on the doubles podium in second while Germany had one-two-three's in the men's and women's events.
Victory in the mixed team relay was therefore expected and Germany didn't disappoint as Geisenberger, Loch and Eggert and Benecken combined to win by almost half a second.
The Germans posted a winning time of 2:24.291minutes with the Italian team of Sandra Gasparini, Armin Zoeggeler and Christian Oberstolz and Patrick Gruber taking second.
Oberstolz and Gruber actually posted a quicker doubles time than their German rivals but it mattered little with defending European champions Russian 0.757 behind overall for third.
Bobsleigh World Cup
Zubkov returns to winning ways in Koenigssee
Alexandr Zubkov returned to winning ways in the four-man bobsleigh at the seventh World Cup round of the season in Koenigssee after two without victory.
Russian pilot Zubkov started the season in a rich vein of form in the four-man, winning the opening four rounds in Lake Placid, Park City, Whistler and Winterberg.
However, second in La Plagne and the decision to miss the Altenberg round, saw Zubkov fall to second in the overall World Cup rankings behind Germany's Maximilian Arndt.
But back on the ice in Koenigssee, Zubkov led from start to finish to win by 0.20seconds ahead of German No.1 pilot Arndt and German No.3 pilot Thomas Florschuetz.
Zubkov posted 48.91 to sit top after the first run with Arndt just 0.06 away in second with Florschuetz third before the third German crew driven by Manuel Machata in fourth.
The Russian then posted the quickest time of the second runs, 49.15, for an overall time of 1:38.06minutes with Arndt just managing to hold onto the runners-up spot.
He went slower than Florschuetz, Machata and Oskars Melbardis second time out in 49.29 but took second by 0.10 and 0.17 ahead of his German teammates respectively.
Ardnt held a 39-point lead over Zubkov ahead of round seven in Koenigssee, which also marked the start of the Triple Trophy, but that advantage is now down to 14.
Zubkov returns to winning ways in Koenigssee
Alexandr Zubkov returned to winning ways in the four-man bobsleigh at the seventh World Cup round of the season in Koenigssee after two without victory.
Russian pilot Zubkov started the season in a rich vein of form in the four-man, winning the opening four rounds in Lake Placid, Park City, Whistler and Winterberg.
However, second in La Plagne and the decision to miss the Altenberg round, saw Zubkov fall to second in the overall World Cup rankings behind Germany's Maximilian Arndt.
But back on the ice in Koenigssee, Zubkov led from start to finish to win by 0.20seconds ahead of German No.1 pilot Arndt and German No.3 pilot Thomas Florschuetz.
Zubkov posted 48.91 to sit top after the first run with Arndt just 0.06 away in second with Florschuetz third before the third German crew driven by Manuel Machata in fourth.
The Russian then posted the quickest time of the second runs, 49.15, for an overall time of 1:38.06minutes with Arndt just managing to hold onto the runners-up spot.
He went slower than Florschuetz, Machata and Oskars Melbardis second time out in 49.29 but took second by 0.10 and 0.17 ahead of his German teammates respectively.
Ardnt held a 39-point lead over Zubkov ahead of round seven in Koenigssee, which also marked the start of the Triple Trophy, but that advantage is now down to 14.
Snowboard World Cup
Kosir and Kummer win in Bad Gastein
Zan Kosir claimed his first World Cup win in the second of two parallel slalom snowboard events in Bad Gastein as Italian Roland Fischnaller once again had to settle for second.
Kosir had to make do with a win in the small final on Friday after losing to eventual winner Andreas Prommegger in the semi-finals however he wasn't to be denied second time out.
With two runs per round scheduled this time as opposed to one, Kosir beat Fischnaller in both as the Italian, who lost to Prommegger in the big final on Friday, was the runner-up again.
Fischnaller failed to finish the first run of the big final before losing the second by 1.37 seconds to Slovenian Kosir, whose best previous World Cup finish was third.
There was better news for Italy in the small final though as Aaron March beat off the charge of Russia's Vic Wild on both runs to take third place.
Meanwhile it was all change in the women's parallel slalom in Austria as Patrizia Kummer beat Julia Dujmovits in the big final and Svetlana Boldykova triumphed in the small final.
Amelie Kober led home Marion Kreiner and Claudia Riegler defeated Natalia Soboleva on Friday but it was last year's World Cup champion Kummer's turn to hog the headlines.
Much like the men's big final Dujmovits didn't finish run one before Kummer took run two by 0.34 seconds while Boldykova edged an all-Russian small final with Alena Zavarzina.
Kosir and Kummer win in Bad Gastein
Zan Kosir claimed his first World Cup win in the second of two parallel slalom snowboard events in Bad Gastein as Italian Roland Fischnaller once again had to settle for second.
Kosir had to make do with a win in the small final on Friday after losing to eventual winner Andreas Prommegger in the semi-finals however he wasn't to be denied second time out.
With two runs per round scheduled this time as opposed to one, Kosir beat Fischnaller in both as the Italian, who lost to Prommegger in the big final on Friday, was the runner-up again.
Fischnaller failed to finish the first run of the big final before losing the second by 1.37 seconds to Slovenian Kosir, whose best previous World Cup finish was third.
There was better news for Italy in the small final though as Aaron March beat off the charge of Russia's Vic Wild on both runs to take third place.
Meanwhile it was all change in the women's parallel slalom in Austria as Patrizia Kummer beat Julia Dujmovits in the big final and Svetlana Boldykova triumphed in the small final.
Amelie Kober led home Marion Kreiner and Claudia Riegler defeated Natalia Soboleva on Friday but it was last year's World Cup champion Kummer's turn to hog the headlines.
Much like the men's big final Dujmovits didn't finish run one before Kummer took run two by 0.34 seconds while Boldykova edged an all-Russian small final with Alena Zavarzina.
Ski Cross World Cup
Fiva and Limbacher take wins in Les Contamines
Alex Fiva became the first freestyle skier to claim successive ski-cross World Cup victories this season after winning the big final at round five in Les Contamines.
Fiva, the winner last time out in Innichen-San Candido, was back at it again in France beating off competition from Slovenia's Filip Flisar to take the victory.
Tomas Kraus took third ahead of home hope Jonathan Midol with Fiva now leading the World Cup standings by 31 points ahead of Armin Niederer who was sixth.
Meanwhile in the women’s race, Austria's Andrea Limbacher claimed just the second win of her career however Fanny Smith is running away with the overall title.
Limbacher won the big final with Anna Holmlund second, then Smith in third with Marielle Berger Sabbatel, like team-mate Midol in the men’s race, fourth.
Limbacher sits third in the women's standings with 238 points, seven behind Swede Holmlund, while Smith leads the way at the top with 396.
Fiva and Limbacher take wins in Les Contamines
Alex Fiva became the first freestyle skier to claim successive ski-cross World Cup victories this season after winning the big final at round five in Les Contamines.
Fiva, the winner last time out in Innichen-San Candido, was back at it again in France beating off competition from Slovenia's Filip Flisar to take the victory.
Tomas Kraus took third ahead of home hope Jonathan Midol with Fiva now leading the World Cup standings by 31 points ahead of Armin Niederer who was sixth.
Meanwhile in the women’s race, Austria's Andrea Limbacher claimed just the second win of her career however Fanny Smith is running away with the overall title.
Limbacher won the big final with Anna Holmlund second, then Smith in third with Marielle Berger Sabbatel, like team-mate Midol in the men’s race, fourth.
Limbacher sits third in the women's standings with 238 points, seven behind Swede Holmlund, while Smith leads the way at the top with 396.
Snowboard Slopestyle World Cup
Morgan a career best fifth as Guldemond wins slopestyle opener
British snowboarder Billy Morgan finished fifth on only his second-career World Cup start as America's Charles Guldemond won the first slopestyle event of the season in Colorado.
Morgan made an impressive debut at the big air event in Belgium in November, finishing seventh, and bettered that by two places on Copper Mountain in the slopestyle event.
The 23-year-old ranked fifth with a score of 72.7, less than 20 points away from Guldemond who finished first by a distance ahead of Roope Tonteri after recording a total of 92.5.
Tonteri scored 80.2 for second while Finnish teammate Peetu Piiroinen was third with 78.2 and Belgium's Seppe Smits fourth with 74.0 before Brit Morgan with a career best.
Morgan was one of seven Brits in action in both the men's and women's slopestyle events on Copper Mountain but was the only one to make it out of the qualification round.
In the men's draw Jamie Nicholls ranked 33rd, Sam Turnbull 90th and Nate Kern 114th while in the women's event two-time Winter X Games champion Jenny Jones was 28th, Katie Ormerod 43rd and Aimee Fuller 49th.
Three-time Winter X Games champion Jamie Anderson took the win with a best score of 83.0 to make it an American double in the slopestyle on home snow in Colorado.
Norway's Kjersti Buaas placed second after scoring 74.2 while Isabel Derungs took third ahead of Swiss teammate Elena Koenz who was in turn comfortably better than Urska Pribosic in fifth.
Six of the seven Brits in action did pick up World Cup points though with Morgan fifth overall in the men's rankings with 450 while Nicholls claimed 24 for his efforts and Turnbull four for his.
Jones took 40 for finishing 28th while Ormerod claimed 18 and Fuller 16 with three more slopestyle World Cup events to go in Sochi next month, then Spindleruv Mlyn and Sierra Nevada both in March.
Morgan a career best fifth as Guldemond wins slopestyle opener
British snowboarder Billy Morgan finished fifth on only his second-career World Cup start as America's Charles Guldemond won the first slopestyle event of the season in Colorado.
Morgan made an impressive debut at the big air event in Belgium in November, finishing seventh, and bettered that by two places on Copper Mountain in the slopestyle event.
The 23-year-old ranked fifth with a score of 72.7, less than 20 points away from Guldemond who finished first by a distance ahead of Roope Tonteri after recording a total of 92.5.
Tonteri scored 80.2 for second while Finnish teammate Peetu Piiroinen was third with 78.2 and Belgium's Seppe Smits fourth with 74.0 before Brit Morgan with a career best.
Morgan was one of seven Brits in action in both the men's and women's slopestyle events on Copper Mountain but was the only one to make it out of the qualification round.
In the men's draw Jamie Nicholls ranked 33rd, Sam Turnbull 90th and Nate Kern 114th while in the women's event two-time Winter X Games champion Jenny Jones was 28th, Katie Ormerod 43rd and Aimee Fuller 49th.
Three-time Winter X Games champion Jamie Anderson took the win with a best score of 83.0 to make it an American double in the slopestyle on home snow in Colorado.
Norway's Kjersti Buaas placed second after scoring 74.2 while Isabel Derungs took third ahead of Swiss teammate Elena Koenz who was in turn comfortably better than Urska Pribosic in fifth.
Six of the seven Brits in action did pick up World Cup points though with Morgan fifth overall in the men's rankings with 450 while Nicholls claimed 24 for his efforts and Turnbull four for his.
Jones took 40 for finishing 28th while Ormerod claimed 18 and Fuller 16 with three more slopestyle World Cup events to go in Sochi next month, then Spindleruv Mlyn and Sierra Nevada both in March.
Freestyle Skiing Aerials World Cup
Xu maintains unbeaten start in Canada
Defending World Cup champion Xu Mengtao maintained her unbeaten start to the aerials season by winning the second round in Val Saint Come.
Xu, who won five of the ten rounds last season, opened up the new campaign with victory on home soil in Changchun at the start of the month and built on it second time out.
The 22-year-old just scrapped into the top four after final one to reach final two, qualifying in fourth, but once there she was unstoppable she produced a score of 104.50.
Xu was the only skier to better the 100-point barrier with Australia's Lydia Lassila, third in qualifying for final two, taking second place for the second time with an effort of 95.52.
Yang Yu, Xu's Chinese team-mate, went from first in final one to third in final two with 91.29 while Lassila's fellow Australian Laura Peel was fourth after scoring 84.39.
Xu leads the overall aerials World Cup standings with 200 points, Lassila second with 160 while another Australian Danielle Scott, who fifth in Canada, is third with 85.
Meanwhile in the men's event Dmitri Dashinski also picked up his second straight World Cup win however unlike Xu it was his first appearance on the circuit this season.
Dashinski won the final round of last season in Myrkdalen-Voss and picked up where he left off in Val Saint Come after also just qualifying out of the first final and into the second final in fourth.
The 35-year-old scored 120.24 in the second final to take the win with home hope Travis Gerrits second with 114.61 and China's Zhou Hang third ahead of Australian David Morris with 100.45.
Dashinski goes straight in at third in the overall World Cup standings with 100 points, nine behind Gerrits in second and 40 behind leader Jia Zongyang, who was sixth in Canada.
Xu maintains unbeaten start in Canada
Defending World Cup champion Xu Mengtao maintained her unbeaten start to the aerials season by winning the second round in Val Saint Come.
Xu, who won five of the ten rounds last season, opened up the new campaign with victory on home soil in Changchun at the start of the month and built on it second time out.
The 22-year-old just scrapped into the top four after final one to reach final two, qualifying in fourth, but once there she was unstoppable she produced a score of 104.50.
Xu was the only skier to better the 100-point barrier with Australia's Lydia Lassila, third in qualifying for final two, taking second place for the second time with an effort of 95.52.
Yang Yu, Xu's Chinese team-mate, went from first in final one to third in final two with 91.29 while Lassila's fellow Australian Laura Peel was fourth after scoring 84.39.
Xu leads the overall aerials World Cup standings with 200 points, Lassila second with 160 while another Australian Danielle Scott, who fifth in Canada, is third with 85.
Meanwhile in the men's event Dmitri Dashinski also picked up his second straight World Cup win however unlike Xu it was his first appearance on the circuit this season.
Dashinski won the final round of last season in Myrkdalen-Voss and picked up where he left off in Val Saint Come after also just qualifying out of the first final and into the second final in fourth.
The 35-year-old scored 120.24 in the second final to take the win with home hope Travis Gerrits second with 114.61 and China's Zhou Hang third ahead of Australian David Morris with 100.45.
Dashinski goes straight in at third in the overall World Cup standings with 100 points, nine behind Gerrits in second and 40 behind leader Jia Zongyang, who was sixth in Canada.
