Luge record world champion Felix Loch has bad fears in view of the severe storm damage to his traditional home run on the Königssee.
"When I see the pictures, I can't imagine that it will be rebuilt in a year," the 31-year-old told SID on Monday: "I'm afraid that it might take three or four years."
Loch emphasized, however, that this was not a prognosis, and so far he himself has only known the extent of the destruction from pictures and videos: “You have to wait and see what happens next.
I am careful and in such a case I prefer to assume the worse first. "
Loch learned to "toboggan" at Königssee, to see the ruins of the oldest artificial ice rink in the world is "indescribable, it is inconceivable that something like this could be destroyed in three or four hours".
He was particularly affected, however, in view of the effects that the accident had on the basis of sport.
"I'm extremely sorry for all the youngsters and the coaches," he said: "Last year the children were barely allowed to go on the toboggan run because of Corona, and now the next year is completely canceled." the calendar is rebuilt for us, then things continue to run normally, so to speak.
But what motivation do eight- or nine-year-old children still have to continue with the sport? "
Loch also pointed out that others in the Berchtesgadener Land had “hit a lot worse”: “This is“ just ”a toboggan run.
A few kilometers further there are families who have basically lost everything. "
The track, equipped with artificial ice since 1968, is owned by the Berchtesgaden district.
After heavy rainfall over the weekend, mud and debris avalanches had destroyed the facility.
The responsible district office was still busy with the processing on Monday, precise information on the extent of the damage was not yet possible.
Thomas Schwab, chairman of the board of the German sled association BSD, feared damage amounting to “tens of millions” on Sunday.
It was "dramatic", he told the SID: "We have to look ahead and make the right decisions."