Sylke Otto is a German former luger who competed from 1991 to 2007. She was born in Karl-Marx-Stadt. Competing in three Winter Olympics, she won the gold medal in the women's singles event in 2002 and 2006.
Gerda Weissensteiner OMRI is an Italian luger and bobsleigh pilot who 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. She was the first Italian sportsperson to win Olympic medals in two disciplines.
Silke Kraushaar-Pielach is a German luger who competed from 1995 to 2008. In June 2008, she was named sports manager for the luge section of Bob- und Schlittenverband für Deutschland.
Tatjana Hüfner is a German retired luger who has competed since 2003.
Christina Schmuck is a West German luger who competed during the late 1960s and early 1970s. At the 1968 Winter Olympics in Grenoble, she originally finished fifth in the women's singles event, but was awarded the silver medal upon the disqualifications of the East German team of Ortrun Enderlein, Anna-Maria Müller (second), and Angela Knösel (fourth) when the East Germans were discovered to have their runners being illegally heated.
Elisabeth Demleitner is a West German luger who competed during the 1970s and early 1980s. Competing in three Winter Olympics, she won the bronze medal in the women's singles event at the 1976 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck.
Vera Zozulya is a Soviet luger who competed during the late 1970s and early 1980s. Competing in two Winter Olympics, she won the gold medal in the women's singles event at the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York.
Melitta Sollmann is an East German luger who competed from the late 1970s to the mid-1980s. She won the silver medal in the women's singles event at the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York.
Angelika Neuner is an Austrian luger who competed from 1987 to 2002. Competing in four Winter Olympics, she won two medals in the women's singles event with a silver in 1992 and a bronze in 1998. Her younger sister, Doris, won the gold medal in the same event at Albertville in 1992.
Susi-Lisa Erdmann is an East German-German luger and bobsledder who competed from 1977 to 1998 in luge, then since 1999 in bobsleigh. She was born in Blankenburg, Bezirk Magdeburg. Competing in five Winter Olympics, she won two medals in the women's singles luge event with a silver in 1994 and a bronze in 1992, and a bronze at the inaugural two-women bobsleigh event in 2002. She is one of only two people to ever win a medal in both bobsleigh and luge at the Winter Olympics; Italy's Gerda Weissensteiner is the other.
Andrea Tagwerker is an Austrian luger who competed from the late 1980s to the early 1990s. Competing in four Winter Olympics, she won the bronze medal in the women's singles luge event at the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer. Tagwerker was the last non-German to win a women's single event in luge in 1997 at the Luge World Cup, Winter Olympic, World Championship, or European Championship level.
Barbara Niedernhuber is a German luger who competed from 1994 to 2006. She won two silver medals in the women's singles event at the Winter Olympics. A favorite to make the 2006 Winter Olympics, she was upset at the national championships by Tatjana Hüfner in late 2005.
Maria-Luise Rainer is an Italian luger who competed between the late 1970s and the late 1980s.
Gabriele Kohlisch is a German luger and bobsledder who competed from the mid-1980s to 1997 in luge, then from 1998 to the early 2000s in bobsleigh. She is one of only two people to win World Championship gold medals in both bobsledding and luge, the other being fellow German Susi Erdmann.
Natalie Obkircher is an Italian luger who competed between 1990 and 2003. She won five medals in the mixed team event at the FIL World Luge Championships with one silver (1995) and four bronzes.
Anna Orlova is a retired Latvian luger who competed at six Winter Olympics between 1992 and 2010. She won the silver medal in the mixed team event at the 2003 FIL World Luge Championships in Sigulda, Latvia and finished fourth in the women's singles event at those same championships.
Veronika Bilgeri is a West German luger who competed during the late 1980s. She won two medals at the 1988 FIL European Luge Championships in Königssee, West Germany with a gold in the mixed team event and a silver in the women's singles event.
Liliya Anatoliyvna Ludan is a Ukrainian luger who has competed since 1985. Competing at the Winter Olympics, she earned her best finish of sixth in the women's singles event both in 2002 and in 2006. Ludan is a member of the Kolos Sports Society.
Maija Tīruma is a former Latvian luger who competed from 2000 to 2013. She won two bronze medals in the mixed team relay event at the FIL World Luge Championships. Tīruma also won a gold medal in the mixed team relay event at the 2008 FIL European Luge Championships in Cesana, Italy and finished seventh in the women's singles event at those same championships. Competing in three Winter Olympics, she earned her best finish of ninth in the women's singles event at Vancouver in 2010.
The FIL European Luge Championships 2008 took place January 7-13, 2008 at the Cesana Pariol track in Cesana, Italy. The relay competition took the place of the team event that had been held at every European championship since 1988. This event had all teams start at the same part of the track, then run down to the finish and tap on a relay marker to exchange from one slider on a team to the next with the fastest time winning.
