A major honour for Evelin Lanthaler: the reigning natural track luge world champion was crowned South Tyrol’s Sportswoman of the Year on Friday evening. It is the second time Lanthaler has received this title, following her win in 2023.

Jannik Sinner and Evelin Lanthaler holding the trophies

Meran/Merano (FIL/14.04.2025) As part of the Sporthilfe Gala held at the Kurhaus in Merano, the Sportswoman, Sportsman, and Team of the Year were announced. For the 37th time, readers of the daily newspaper Dolomiten voted for the most successful and popular athletes. Among the women, Evelin Lanthaler claimed the coveted title for the second consecutive year – and the second time in her long and incredibly successful career. It also marked a crowning finale, as the luge icon from the Passeier Valley retired at the end of the season. The eight-time world champion and overall World Cup winner received 9,925 votes. Biathletes Hannah Auchentaller (3,713 votes) and Dorothea Wierer (3,469 votes) followed in second and third place.

Among the men, the title went – unsurprisingly – to the world number one in tennis, Jannik Sinner, who received over 16,000 votes. In the Team of the Year category, artificial track lugers Andrea Vötter and Marion Oberhofer moved up from second place last year to first this year with 10,869 votes.

Luge Icons Honoured

(from left) Florian Clara, Patrick Pigneter, Riccardo Tonetti, Federica Sanfilippo, Greta Pinggera and Evelin Lanthaler 

One of the highlights of the Sporthilfe Gala was the farewell tribute to nine exceptional South Tyrolean athletes who recently concluded their illustrious careers. Evelin Lanthaler, Greta Pinggera, Patrick Pigneter, and Florian Clara were honoured alongside Laura Letrari (swimming), Federica Sanfilippo (biathlon and cross-country skiing), Hannes Kiem (football), Martin Sonnerer (handball), and Riccardo Tonetti (alpine skiing).