2014 medal projections: Luge

Updated Jan. 14 and Feb. 4

Germany.

Oh, you want more detail? OK. But anyone who makes the German team (only three spots in individual races, two in doubles) is a contender. The German men took the top four places in the 2013 World Championships. One of them will miss out.

And without any proven contenders who have emerged in the last four years, we’re looking at the best possible result for Germany: men’s sweep, women’s sweep, 1-2 in doubles, relay win. (The relay is a new Olympic event.)

MEN

Gold: Felix Loch (Germany)
Silver: David Möller (Germany)
Bronze: Dominik Fischnaller (Italy)

Also considered: Albert Demchenko (Russia), Andi Langenhan (Germany), Chris Mazdzer (USA), Armin Zöggeler (Italy)

World Cup 2013-14 top 8: Loch, Zöggeler, Fischnaller, Moller, Mazdzer, Langenhan, Samuel Edney (CAN), Wolfgang Kindl (AUT)

World Cup 2012-13 top 8: Loch, Langenhan, Möller, Zöggeler, Demchenko, Johannes Ludwig (Germany), Fischnaller, David Mair (Italy)

2013 World Championship top 8: Loch, Langenhan, Ludwig, Möller, Edney, Mazdzer, Demchenko, Kindl

2010 Olympic medalists: Loch, Möller, Zöggeler

WOMEN

Gold: Natalie Geisenberger (Germany)
Silver: Tatjana Hüfner (Germany)
Bronze: Anke Wischnewski (Germany)

Also considered: Alex Gough (Canada), Erin Hamlin (USA), Kate Hansen (USA), Tatiana Ivanova (Russia)

World Cup 2013-14 top 8: Geisenberger, Gough, Hüfner, Wischnewski, Dajana Eitberger (GER), Hamlin, Hansen, Ivanova

World Cup 2012-13 top 8: Geisenberger, Wischnewski, Hüfner, Gough, Ivanova, Julia Clukey (USA), Hamlin, Sandra Gasparini (Italy)

2013 World Championship top 8: Geisenberger, Hüfner, Gough, Wischnewski, Aileen Frisch (Germany), Hamlin, Kimberley MacRae (Canada), Arianne Jones (Canada)

2010 Olympic medalists: Hüfner, Nina Reithmayer (Austria), Geisenberger

DOUBLES

Gold: Tobias Wendl/Tobias Arlt (Germany)
Silver: Toni Eggert/Sascha Benecken (Germany)
Bronze: Andreas Linger/Wolfgang Linger (Austria)

Also considered: Christian Oberstolz/Patrick Gruber (Italy), Peter Penz/Georg Fischler (Austria), Andris Sic/Juris Sic (Latvia), Tristan Walker/Justin Smith (Canada)

World Cup 2013-14 top 8: Wendl/Arlt, Eggert/Benecken, Oberstolz/Gruber, Penz/Fischler, Linger/Linger, Walker/Smith, Vladislav Yuzhakov/Vladimir Makhnutin (Russia)

World Cup 2012-13 top 8: Wendl/Arlt, Eggert/Benecken, Penz/Fischler, Oberstolz/Gruber, Sic/Sic, Rieder/Rastner (Italy), Walker/Smith

2013 World Championship top 8: Wendl/Arlt, Eggert/Benecken, Linger/Linger, Walker/Smith, Penz/Fischler, Sic/Sic, Oberstolz/Gruber, Yuzhakov/Makhnutin (Russia)

2010 Olympic medalists: Linger/Linger, Sic/Sic, Leitner/Resch (Germany)

RELAY (new event)

Gold: Germany
Silver: Italy
Bronze: Russia

Also considered: Austria, Canada, Latvia, USA

World Cup 2013-14 top 8: Germany, Canada, USA, Italy, Latvia, Austria, Russia, Slovakia

World Cup 2012-13 top 8: Germany (won all six), Italy, USA, Canada, Russia, Austria, Latvia, Romania

2013 World Championship top 8: Germany, Canada, Latvia, Austria, USA, Italy, Russia, Poland

BIOS

Men

Albert Demchenko (Russia): Fourth in 2010 Olympics. Silver medal in 2006 Olympics. Second in 2012 World Championships – best-ever finish, at age 40.

Andi Langenhan (Germany): On the podium in three of the last five world championships. Runner-up each of the last two World Cup seasons.

Felix Loch (Germany): Olympic champion. Four of the last five world championships (runner-up in 2011). Back-to-back World Cup champion.

David Möller (Germany): 2004 and 2007 world champion. 2010 Olympic silver medalist. World Cup seasons since 2004: 3rd, 3rd, 2nd, (not listed), 2nd, 2nd, 4th, 4th, 3rd, 3rd.

Armin Zöggeler (Italy): Olympic gold medalist in 2002 and 2006; silver in 1998; bronze in 1994 and 2010. World champion in 1995, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2005 and 2011. Nine-time World Cup champion. He’ll be 40 in Sochi.

Women

Natalie Geisenberger (Germany): World champion in 2013 after three straight runner-up finishes (2008, 2009, 2011) and a third-place finish in 2012. World Cup champion in 2013 after four straight runner-up finishes. Third in 2010 Olympics. Finally her time to take throne from Hüfner?

Alex Gough (Canada): Third place in 2011 and 2013 world championships.

Erin Hamlin (USA): Only American to win world championship (2009).

Tatjana Hüfner (Germany): World champion in 2007, 2008, 2011 and 2012; runner-up in 2013. World Cup champion five straight years, from 2008 to 2012.

Tatiana Ivanova (Russia): World championship runner-up in 2012.

Anke Wischnewski (Germany): Best World Cup season (second overall) in 2013 at age 35. Five top-fives in World Championships.

Doubles

Toni Eggert/Sascha Benecken (Germany): 2012 and 2013 world championship runner-up.

Andreas Linger/Wolfgang Linger (Austria): 2006 and 2010 Olympic champions. 2011 and 2012 world champions; third in 2013. 2012 World Cup champions.

Christian Oberstolz/Patrick Gruber (Italy): Fifth and fourth in last two Olympics. 2005 and 2009 World Cup champions. One World Championship medal (silver, 2011).

Andris Sic/Juris Sic (Latvia): Never better than sixth in World Cup season but second in 2010 Games and third in 2011 World Championships.

Tobias Wendl/Tobias Arlt (Germany): Sadly, no Tobias Funke. 2013 world champions. World Cup champions in 2011 and 2013; second in 2012.