FIL Family Mourns the Death of Sepp Lenz - Ice and Gold Smith from Königssee
Berchtesgaden (FIL/08 May 2023) The FIL family mourns the death of the ice and goldsmith from Königssee. Josef "Sepp“ Lenz died in the night from May 3 to 4, 2023 at the age of 88 in his homeland.
"I got to know Sepp Lenz in the 1980s during the planning of the artificial ice track in Sigulda. As a likeable person and a competent track construction expert, he immediately inspired me. I am deeply saddened by his passing. We have lost a great person who dedicated his life to the sport of luge. On behalf of the entire FIL family, I would like to express our deepest condolences to his wife, daughters, and all members of the WSV Königssee," said FIL President Einars Fogelis.
IOC President Thomas Bach: "Sepp Lenz infected me, as well as all those who had the pleasure to meet him, with his passion for the sport of luge. With his enormous expertise, he led generations of athletes to success and then, as an ice master, he also ensured fair competitions."
Sepp Lenz - a life for the sport of luge
In the case of Sepp Lenz, one can speak of an incredible life's work for the sport of luge: For about 80 years, "Lenz Sepp" lived with and for the sport. He spent 50 of those years building luge and bobsleigh tracks, and for 30 years he was the national coach of Germany's successful lugers. Prior to that, Sepp Lenz was a luger on the national team for ten years. He competed in a total of 120 races, winning 44 of them and standing on the podium 80 times. In 1962 he became European champion and five times German champion.
Construction of the first luge track at Königssee in 1959
Sepp Lenz, his father and his brother Lorenz, Richard Hartmann, Mucki Beer, volunteers, and colleagues from the Königssee boat travel company were the main contributors to the construction of the first luge track at Königssee in 1959. In the following years, the ice track was built by volunteers and employees of the Berchtesgaden spa. Until 1968, a technically challenging, approximately 1000-meter-long sledding track with 18 curves was built every year in painstaking detail. In 1963, the first two-man bobsleigh race was held on the Königssee luge track.
Sepp Lenz and Richard Hartmann as the fathers of the first artificial ice track
In 1968, after six months of construction, the natural track at Königssee became the world's first artificial ice track. Richard Hartmann was the mastermind and took care of the financing by the federal government, the state, and the municipality. Sepp Lenz was the practical man and, together with the Deyle planning office, was responsible for the technical implementation of the world's first artificial ice track. On February 1 and 2, 1969, the first Luge World Championships were held on the world's first artificially iced track.
Lenz advisor on construction of Olympic tracks
In the following years, Sepp Lenz became an expert in track construction. As a technical delegate of the international federations (FIL in luge and FIBT in bobsleigh and skeleton), he was constantly "in action for the sport of luge" as an advisor for Olympic tracks all over the world.
30 years as national head coach in Germany
Sepp Lenz was the national coach of the German luge team from 1965 to 1995, during which time the team won 96 medals at Olympic Games, World and European Championships.
Even after his retirement in 1995, the "ice-smith from Koenigssee" was available on an honorary basis in the summer to regulate the curves and in the winter to support track manager Markus Aschauer and his team. Sepp Lenz did all this for luge over the decades.
Sepp Lenz received the FIL Gold Medal of Honor in 1995.
