Gerda Weissensteiner
Encyclopedia
Gerda Weissensteiner (born 3 January 1969 in Bolzano, South Tyrol
) is an Italian
luge
r and bobsleigh
pilot who has competed from the late 1980s to 2006. Competing in six Winter Olympics, she won the gold medal in the women's singles luge event at the 1994 Winter Olympics
in Lillehammer
, and together with Jennifer Isacco
she won the bronze in Turin
in the two-woman bobsleigh at the 2006 Winter Olympics
.
, Mixed team: 1989
), three silvers (Women's singles: 1989, Mixed team: 1990
, 1995
), and six bronzes (Women's singles: 1995, 1996
; Mixed team: 1991
, 1993, 1996, 1997
).
She was also won four medals at the FIL European Luge Championships with two gold (Mixed team and Women's singles: both in 1994
), one silver (Women's singles: 1990
), and one bronze (Mixed team: 1988
).
Weissensteiner won the overall Luge World Cup title in women's singles twice (1992-3, 1997-8). She was also the flagbearer at the opening ceremonies of the 1998 Winter Olympics
in Nagano.
Antonella Bellutti
, gold medalist in cycling
) at the 2002 Winter Olympics. Her best finish in the Bobsleigh World Cup championship was third twice in the two-woman event. (2002-3, 2003-4 (tied with Germany
's Susi Erdmann
)). She finished sixth in the 2-woman bobsleigh event at the 2005 FIBT World Championships
in Calgary, Alberta, Canada
. The following year, Weissensteiner joined Erdmann as being one of only two people to win a medal in both bobsleigh
and luge at the Winter Olympics
.
She retired from all competition after the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin
.
South Tyrol
South Tyrol , also known by its Italian name Alto Adige, is an autonomous province in northern Italy. It is one of the two autonomous provinces that make up the autonomous region of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol. The province has an area of and a total population of more than 500,000 inhabitants...
) is an Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
luge
Luge
A Luge is a small one- or two-person sled on which one sleds supine and feet-first. Steering is done by flexing the sled's runners with the calf of each leg or exerting opposite shoulder pressure to the seat. Racing sleds weigh 21-25 kilograms for singles and 25-30 kilograms for doubles. Luge...
r and bobsleigh
Bobsleigh
Bobsleigh or bobsled is a winter sport in which teams of two or four make timed runs down narrow, twisting, banked, iced tracks in a gravity-powered sled that are combined to calculate the final score....
pilot who has competed from the late 1980s to 2006. Competing in six Winter Olympics, she won the gold medal in the women's singles luge event at the 1994 Winter Olympics
1994 Winter Olympics
The 1994 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XVII Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event celebrated from 12 to 27 February 1994 in and around Lillehammer, Norway. Lillehammer failed to win the bid for the 1992 event. Lillehammer was awarded the games in 1988, after having beat...
in Lillehammer
Lillehammer
is a town and municipality in Oppland county, Norway, globally known for hosting the 1994 Winter Olympics. It is part of the traditional region of Gudbrandsdal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Lillehammer. As of May 2011, the population of the town of Lillehammer was...
, and together with Jennifer Isacco
Jennifer Isacco
Jennifer Isacco is an Italian bobsledder who has competed since 1999. At the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, she won a bronze medal in the two-woman event with teammate Gerda Weissensteiner.-References:*...
she won the bronze in Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
in the two-woman bobsleigh at the 2006 Winter Olympics
2006 Winter Olympics
The 2006 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XX Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in Turin, Italy from February 10, 2006, through February 26, 2006. This marked the second time Italy hosted the Olympic Winter Games, the first being the VII Olympic Winter...
.
Luge career
Weissensteiner won eleven medals at the FIL World Luge Championships, including two gold (Women's singles: 1993FIL World Luge Championships 1993
The FIL World Luge Championships 1993 took place in Calgary, Alberta, Canada for the second time, having previously hosted the event in 1990.-Men's singles:Suckow is the first American to win a championship at the World or Winter Olympic level....
, Mixed team: 1989
FIL World Luge Championships 1989
The FIL World Luge Championships 1989 took place in Winterberg, West Germany. The mixed team event consisting of two separate runs each in men's singles, two separate runs each in women's singles, and one run in men's doubles debutted.-Men's singles:...
), three silvers (Women's singles: 1989, Mixed team: 1990
FIL World Luge Championships 1990
-Men's singles:Hackl becomes the first person to win the world championships in consecutive years in this event.-Women's singles:-Men's doubles:-Mixed team:-Medal table:-References:****...
, 1995
FIL World Luge Championships 1995
-Men's singles:-Women's singles:-Men's doubles:-Mixed team:-Medal table:-References:****...
), and six bronzes (Women's singles: 1995, 1996
FIL World Luge Championships 1996
-Men's singles:-Women's singles:-Men's doubles:-Mixed team:-Medal table:-References:****...
; Mixed team: 1991
FIL World Luge Championships 1991
The FIL World Luge Championships 1991 took place in Winterberg, Germany for the second time, having previously hosted the event in 1989. It also marked the first time East Germany and West Germany competed as a unified German team.-Men's singles:...
, 1993, 1996, 1997
FIL World Luge Championships 1997
The FIL World Luge Championships 1997 took place in Igls, Austria for the third time after previously hosting the event in 1977 and 1987.-Men's singles:-Women's singles:-Men's doubles:-Mixed team:-Medal table:-References:****...
).
She was also won four medals at the FIL European Luge Championships with two gold (Mixed team and Women's singles: both in 1994
FIL European Luge Championships 1994
The FIL European Luge Championships 1994 took place in Königssee, Germany for a record sixth time after hosting the event previously in 1967, 1972, 1973, 1977, and 1988.-Men's singles:-Women's singles:-Men's doubles:-Mixed team:-Medal table:...
), one silver (Women's singles: 1990
FIL European Luge Championships 1990
The FIL European Luge Championships 1990 took place in Igls, Austria for a second time after hosting the event previously in 1951.-Men's singles:-Women's singles:-Men's doubles:-Mixed team:-Medal table:-References:****...
), and one bronze (Mixed team: 1988
FIL European Luge Championships 1988
The FIL European Luge Championships 1988 took place in Königssee, West Germany for a record fifth time after hosting the event previously in 1967, 1972, 1973, and 1977...
).
Weissensteiner won the overall Luge World Cup title in women's singles twice (1992-3, 1997-8). She was also the flagbearer at the opening ceremonies of the 1998 Winter Olympics
1998 Winter Olympics
The 1998 Winter Olympics, officially the XVIII Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event celebrated from 7 to 22 February 1998 in Nagano, Japan. Seventy-two nations and 2,176 participans contested in seven sports and 72 events at 15 venues. The games saw the introduction of Women's ice...
in Nagano.
Bobsleigh career
Weissensteiner switched to bobsleigh in 2001. She finished seventh in the 2-woman bobsleigh (with the former bikerBiker
Biker may refer to:* a rider of a motorcycle, i.e., one who participates in motorcycling* a member of a motorcycle club* a member of an outlaw motorcycle club* a rider of a bicycle...
Antonella Bellutti
Antonella Bellutti
Antonella Bellutti is an Italian racing cyclist and two-time Olympic champion in track cycling.Born in Bolzano, in South Tyrol, she now resides in Rovereto, in Trentino....
, gold medalist in cycling
Cycling
Cycling, also called bicycling or biking, is the use of bicycles for transport, recreation, or for sport. Persons engaged in cycling are cyclists or bicyclists...
) at the 2002 Winter Olympics. Her best finish in the Bobsleigh World Cup championship was third twice in the two-woman event. (2002-3, 2003-4 (tied with Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
's Susi Erdmann
Susi Erdmann
Susi Erdmann is an East German-German luger and bobsledder who competed from 1977 to 1998 in luge, then since 1999 in bobsleigh...
)). She finished sixth in the 2-woman bobsleigh event at the 2005 FIBT World Championships
FIBT World Championships 2005
The FIBT World Championships 2005 took place in Calgary, Alberta, Canada for the fourth time, doing so previously in 1992 , 1996, and 2001 .-Two man:-Four man:-Two woman:-Men:-Women:...
in Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. The following year, Weissensteiner joined Erdmann as being one of only two people to win a medal in both bobsleigh
Bobsleigh at the Winter Olympics
Bobsleigh has been contested at the Winter Olympic Games since the first Winter Games in 1924, with the exception of the 1960 games in Squaw Valley when the organizing committee decided not to build a track in order to reduce expenses. Other than that exception, the four-man competition has been...
and luge at the Winter Olympics
Luge at the Winter Olympics
Luge was introduced to the Winter Olympic Games in 1964, with both men's and women's events and a doubles event. Doubles is technically a mixed event, but is almost always competed by a team of two men...
.
She retired from all competition after the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
.