Tobogganing: Müller won European Championship gold in the single-seater in Igls

Jonas Müller took advantage of the home advantage and his current top form and, after the World Cup title last year, won European Championship gold for the first time in a superior manner. The 26-year-old from Vorarlberg prevailed in the single-seater by more than three tenths of a second ahead of his Tyrolean teammate Nico Gleirscher. The German World Cup dominator and defending champion Max Langenhan only finished third.

Müller impressed in the first run with a track record of 49.288 seconds. “I found very few mistakes during the run,” explained the man from Bludenz, who also achieved another best time in the second run. His 0.326 second lead over Gleirscher is a small world in the ice track – and especially in Igls. Müller had already tobogganed onto the podium twice this World Cup season, finishing second in Lake Placid and Whistler. He is still Langenhan’s first pursuer, 90 points behind in the overall World Cup.

The German had to settle for third place after ten World Cup victories in a row across all seasons. Last year, Müller also defeated him at the World Championships in Oberhof. On the home track in Igls, where the Austrians are traditionally difficult to beat, Nico Gleirscher was also a tenth of a second faster than Langenhan. The 26-year-old from Stubai, who has already come third twice at the start of the season in Lake Placid, won silver, his most valuable medal since sprint gold at the 2021 World Championships. “We are currently sledding at a very high level,” said Gleirscher.

His brother David Gleirscher achieved his best result of the season in fifth place. After the first run, the 2018 Olympic champion was in third place ahead of Langenhan, but in the second he made a small mistake. Wolfgang Kindl completed the strong ÖRV result in sixth place. “In this form, nobody can actually beat him in Igls,” said the former world champion on ORF about his successor Müller, who was particularly impressive at the start. “You have to take your hat off. It was a gala performance today.”

The day before, Kindl had won gold in the doubles with Thomas Steu. Madeleine Egle was also crowned European champion in the women’s single-seater. There have not been three gold medals for the ÖRV at a European Championship since the title fights in Imst in 1956. At the end of the competitions in Igls, which are also part of the World Cup, there will be a team relay on Sunday afternoon (1.30 p.m./live ORF Sport +).