Lake Placid (pps) Erin Hamlin, along with skier Lindsey Vonn, was chosen as athlete of the month for February of 2009 by voters representing the national governing bodies for Olympic, Paralympic and Pan American Games sports, as well as members of the U.S. Olympic Committee staff. Hamlin earned the honor by taking a historic gold medal at the 41st Luge World Championship in Lake Placid, N.Y. on Feb. 6. Lindsay Vonn took two Gold Medals at the World Championship in alpine Skiing at Val d’Isere (France) back home.
“It’s an honor to be recognized and to receive attention like this,” said the newly-crowned World Champion. “I’m glad to have done something big enough to qualify for athlete of the month.”
Hamlin (Remsen, N.Y.) shocked Germany and the rest of the world by becoming the first non-German to win a luge World Championship title in 16 years. The win also snapped Germany’s international racing winning streak dating back to 1997, a 99-race run that included Olympic, World Championship and Viessmann World Cup events. Hamlin, who suffered from migraine headaches during training at the event, posted the race’s two fastest times and established a new track record en route to her victory. She also joined Wendel Suckow as the only U.S. athletes to win a luge world crown.
