Three-time Olympic champion Georg Hackl has left the German luge program for a job with rival Austria, asserting Thursday he has agreed to a four-year contract that runs by means of the 2026 Olympics.
Hackl is one in every of Germany’s luge legends, a significant a part of the nation’s dominance within the sliding sport for many years. Germany usually wins extra World Cup medals every season than all different nations mixed, plus claimed gold in all 4 occasions on the Beijing Olympics this yr.
Hackl’s major duty with Austria will probably be in technical growth and sled materials building, a job he’ll share with Austrian Olympic doubles luge silver medalist Peter Penz.
“As a coach with Germany, I’ve received the whole lot there’s to win,” Hackl mentioned. “I used to be on the lookout for a brand new problem.”
Austrian Luge president Markus Prock was one in every of Hackl’s chief on-ice rivals for years. However when Prock approached Hackl — a 10-time world champion — about making this transfer, Hackl was quickly offered.
“The conversations with Markus have been completely convincing,” Hackl mentioned.
Austria received three medals on the Beijing Video games, second-most of any nation behind Germany’s six. Madeleine Egle was second within the general girls’s World Cup standings this previous season, and Wolfgang Kindl was second within the males’s standings.
With Hackl, Prock hopes Austria can now take the subsequent step.
“We wish to overtake the toboggan powerhouse Germany and turn out to be No. 1 on the ice monitor,” Prock mentioned. “This requires a variety of coronary heart and keenness. … Now that the chance arose to steer him to Austria, we took the plunge. I’m very completely satisfied, but additionally proud, that he selected us.”
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