LugeSlittino Naturale
The blue, the undisputed star of the natural track luge, returning from the European Championships sled skates, has confided exclusively to us about Snow Italy, telling us about his journey of preparation for the upcoming season.
Tuesday 24 September 2013 8 minutes reading time
Patrick Pigneter is a name little known to most people, but as often happens in our country, the great talents of so-called minor sports even able to control the length and breadth in their own discipline, they tend to stay on the edge of the sports news. The twenty-six South Tyrol, a native of Völs am Schlern / Fiè, is in fact destined to become the greatest interpreter of the history of natural track luge.
In addition, Patrick, thanks to 56 victories in the World Cup is the second most successful Italian athlete in the history of winter sports, trailing by just one point from Armin Zöggeler, but in front of a monument of sport as Alberto Tomba still only at 50 .
Pigneter that in his incredible palmares already has 13 World Cups (8 in singles and five in doubles in the company of Florian Clara), is not satisfied, and decided to give my utmost in the coming seasons, "My primary goal is to keep winning, but mostly it is my intention to break the record for the world's gold medals, the only record that still does not belong to me. "
The South Tyrolean very keen to get in shape in the first round of the season: "Like every year, I started preparing last May. The first training I brought them in solitary, working mainly on physical strength often going grinding km cycling and running to feet. Subsequently the bottom next to the sessions I began to prepare myself in the gym doing exercises to strengthen muscles. "
In the last month were held the first team retreats, where the Blues have also started working level of technique, "At the end of August," he continued Pigneter, "beside any physical exercises we have included technical training. Pistino On Maranza / meransen, for example, we conducted specific sessions on the fundamental thrust with excellent results. Moreover, we used a lot of sledging wheel that has allowed us to take the feeling with the speed. "
Just sledding Wheel was played the first major seasonal event. Last weekend, in the company of other blue Pigneter Alex Gruber, Florian Clara Clara and Matthew, took part in a two-day Swiss international competitions resulted with the dispute, on Sunday, the first European Championships.
In Grindelwald, at the foot of the imposing and impressive Eiger, Italians, great interpreters of the icy roads, the bottom literally tarred were outclassed by the Austrian competition. Austria, has placed seven athletes in the top seven, relegating to an unusual Patrick Pigneter eighth place, while the two Clara and Gruber have sunk outside the top ten.
Patrick IMEMC was keen to allay the fans explaining, "It is not at all surprising to see the Austrians to be so fast with the sled-accessible. We have entered the race with the only goal to train for the upcoming season while they are real specialists in this discipline, so much so that disputing a real championship. On icy things change radically, and many of these athletes in winter are clearly behind us. "
Like all top-level athletes, Pigneter dreams of one day being able to wear the blue uniform at the Olympic Games. In the last year the International Federation (FIL) has started drawing up a policy in place to encourage participation in competitions of natural luge track a greater number of athletes from many nations. The goal is to include this discipline in the Olympic program starting from the 2018 Olympics.
Patrick praised the initiative of the FIL, "I believe that the Federation has done well to introduce this new system of participation, because the level of competition was not for nothing and also lowered in the past season we have seen a substantial increase of registered athletes the competitions. course from here to say we're going to the Olympics is rather premature, however, is finally being something moving. "
The national team, from here earlier in the season will continue its process of preparation with training sessions in the gym alternating tobogganing are possible on skates and exercises to push that on some occasions will be held within a few ice rinks.
Patrick Pigneter, but is looking forward to mid-November when the first snow usually start, "I'm not in the skin. I have a strong desire to get off at full speed along an icy road. I feel very full for the next season where point to reconfirm at the top in both the single and the double luge. "
Good luck great champion!
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