The 45th European Championships will also run alongside the final event of the Viessmann Luge World Cup series in what the FIL describes as a "race-in-race competition".

Two different results sheets will be used for the men's and women's singles and doubles events; one for the Viessman Luge World Cup and the other to rank the highest placed athletes eligible for the European Championships, which will be held in Sigulda for the third time following on from 1996 and 2010.

Prior to the start of competition, each national federation will nominate four doubles teams whose results will count in both the World Cup and European Championship standings.

In the singles events, three women will be nominated for both events while the men's will see five athletes taking part in the World Cup events, but only four from each federation will count towards the European Championship standings.

Natalie Geisenberger, Felix Loch and Tobias Wendl-Tobias Arlt have already secured 2014 World Cup titles and they are part of the German Winter Olympic squad that will not be attending the Championships in Sigulda.

Norbert Loch has instead decided that preparations for Sochi 2014 will be better served by putting the 10-strong squad through an intensive training camp.

That leaves Aileen Frisch and 2013 World Championship bronze medallist Johannes Ludwig to head up the German team in Sigulda.

Frisch will be up against two-time European champion Tatiana Ivanova of Russia in the women's singles, who is the favourite to claim a third title, with Vancouver 2010 silver medal winner Nina Reithmayer also a leading contender.

Two-time Olympic champion Armin Zöggeler will be chasing European gold in Sigulda ©Bongarts/Getty Images