 Kirkby in 2019 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| Nationality | American | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | June 14, 2001 Ray Brook, New York, U.S. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Luge | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Event | Doubles | ||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Sophia Kirkby (born June 14, 2001) is an American luger.
| Kirkby in 2019 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nationality | American | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | June 14, 2001 Ray Brook, New York, U.S. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Luge | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Event | Doubles | ||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Sophia Kirkby (born June 14, 2001) is an American luger.
Kirkby was born in Ray Brook, New York and began luge at 8 years old with the Adirondack Luge Club. When she was 10 years old, she received an invitation to the development team from USA Luge. [1] [2]
Kirkby has been with Team USA since she was 16, playing in singles events on the junior national team. She switched to doubles in 2020, and races with her teammate Chevonne Forgan. Forgan serves as the supine, steering the sled from up top, while Kirby navigates the runs from underneath. [3] During the 2022–23 Luge World Cup, Kirkby and Forgan finished in fifth place in the overall World Cup women's doubles standings. [4]
Kirkby represented the United States at the 2022 FIL World Luge Championships and won a bronze medal in the inaugural women's doubles event at the FIL World Luge Championships. [5] [6]
She competed at the 2023 FIL World Luge Championships where she came in sixth place in the doubles and doubles sprint events. [7]
She competed at the 2024 FIL World Luge Championships and won a silver medal in the team relay and a bronze medal in the women's doubles event. [8] [9] During the doubles event they tied the start record of 5.925, and track record of 42.334. [10]
Outside of luge, Kirkby's interest includes ceramics, where she produces Adirondack-themed mugs, among other things, at the Lake Placid Center of the Arts. She plans to start a business in 2024 called Sophie's Ceramics and Services. [1]
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.
Thomas Schwab is a West German luger who competed in the late 1980s. Together with Wolfgang Staudinger he won the bronze medal in the men's doubles event at the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, representing West Germany.
The FIL World Luge Championships, part of the International Luge Federation (FIL) have taken place on an almost annual basis in non-Winter Olympics years since 1955. These championships are shown for artificial tracks. See FIL World Luge Natural Track Championships for all natural track events that have taken place since 1979.
Paul Hildgartner is an Italian former luger who competed from the early 1970s to the late 1980s. Competing in five Winter Olympics, he earned two gold medals and one silver medal for his efforts. Hildgartner was the flag bearer for Italy in the 1984 Winter Olympics and the 1988 Winter Olympics opening ceremonies.
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.
Yevgeny Vladimirovich Belousov was a Soviet luger who competed in the mid to late 1980s. Competing in two Winter Olympics, he won the silver medal in the men's doubles event at Sarajevo in 1984.
Maria Isser was an Austrian luger who competed during the early 1950s and early 1960s. She won five medals at the FIL World Luge Championships with two golds and three silvers.
Patrick Gruber is an Italian luger who has competed since 1997. He won seven medals at the FIL World Luge Championships with two silvers and five bronzes.
Erin Mullady Hamlin is a four-time Olympian and the first female American luger to medal at any Winter Olympics, as well as the first American of either gender to medal in luge singles competition and the first non-European woman to take an Olympic medal in luge. She took the singles bronze medal in Sochi's 2014 Winter Olympics, something the Associated Press called "a feat that will surely go down as perhaps the greatest moment in USA Luge history".
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.
Natalie Geisenberger is a German luger. Widely regarded as one of the greatest lugers of all time, she is a nine-time World champion and six-time Olympic champion.
Tobias Arlt is a German luger, acting as a backdriver. He won a silver medal in the men's doubles event at the 2008 FIL World Luge Championships, a silver and a bronze at the 2010 FIL European Luge Championships, a gold medal at the FIL World Luge Championships 2013, and two gold medals at his debut Olympics, the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.
Tobias Wendl is a German luger who has competed since 1993, acting as a front. He won a silver medal in the men's doubles event at the 2008 FIL World Luge Championships in Oberhof, Germany, a silver and a bronze at the FIL European Luge Championships 2010 in Sigulda, a gold at the FIL World Luge Championships 2013, and two gold medals at his debut Winter Olympics at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. He is also a Master Sergeant in the German Army.
Dajana Eitberger is a German luger. She currently represents Germany in the women's doubles event in the Luge World Cup.
Julia Taubitz is a German luger.
Anna Berreiter is a German luger. She is the 2023 World and European Champion and silver medallist at the 2022 Winter Olympics. A two-time Under-23 World Champion, Berreiter was also part of the German squad that took the World team relay title in 2023 and has won further 1 silver and 1 bronze medals in sprint discipline at the World Championships level. She is the youngest woman to win a Luge World Cup race, and so far, has won 4 individual races in her World Cup career.
Roberts Plūme is a Latvian luger.
Mārtiņš Bots is a Latvian luger. He represented Latvia at the 2022 Winter Olympics.
The 2023–24 Luge World Cup (official: Eberspächer Luge World Cup) is a multi-race series over a season of Luge, organised by International Luge Federation (FIL).
Chevonne Forgan is an American luger.
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