Koenigssee (pps) Armin Zoeggeler was recently asked whether it wouldn’t be time to exchange the silver colour of his helmet for gold considering his many victories. “No”, Italy’s Olympic, World and European champion replied with certainty, “the silver helmet is my brand-mark and will remain just that.“

“The best luger of present times” as Zoeggeler is always called respectfully by his long-time rival Georg Hackl, was once again the most consistent athlete this season winning the overall Viessmann Luge World Cup for the fourth time since 1998, 2000 and 2001. Only Austria’s Markus Prock, who retired in 2002 and won the overall World Cup ten times, has more victories on his record than the 30-year-old from South Tyrol in Italy.

Though these ten overall World Cup victories seem out of Zoeggeler’s reach, the policeman from Lana Foiana wants to attack Prock’s record of 33 individual World Cup wins: “My aim for the coming years is to become record champion in the World Cup.” Zoeggeler wants to continue his career on two runners at least until the 2006 Olympic Winter Games in Turin, Italy.

Zoeggeler’s career began in the autumn of 1988 at the junior start on the 1976 Olympic track at Innsbruck-Igls, Austria: His parents had sent the then 14-year-old natural track luger to the Austrian artificially-refrigerated track. Since then the ice-tubes have held him captive. It is probably an irony of fate that Zoeggeler has won at least one race on all tracks in the world – but never at Igls. “This track simply does not suit me”, the Italian says.

But this winter he made a small peace with Igls: On the unloved track at the foot of Patscherkofel mountain Zoeggeler finished runner-up and ascertained his fourth overall World Cup victory even before the final at Koenigssee, Germany. “This title means much to me, particularly on this track”, Zoeggeler admitted at Igls.
Germany’s Georg Hackl, who won three Olympic as well as three World titles, explains Armin Zoeggeler’s secret of success: “Armin is an allround athlete. His sled is fast on all tracks and at all weather conditions”, Hackl says. “I for instance, need certain temperatures to be very fast.” While Armin Zoeggeler never talks about his sled and material (“I don’t do that generally”) it is no secret that Hackl prefers icy-cold conditions: “If there is a real winter, I will be among the top again.”

Biography Armin Zoeggeler

Born: January 4, 1974 – Residence: Lana Foiana – Occupation: Police man – Hobbies: music, cars, nature. - Results: 2002 Olympic Champion (Salt Lake City), 1998 Olympic runner-up (Nagano), 1994 Olympic bronze medallist (Lillehammer); 1995 World champion (Lillehammer), 1999 (Koenigssee), 2001 (Calgary), 2003 (Sigulda); 2004 European cham-pion (Oberhof); 1998, 2000, 2001, 2004 overall World Cup Champion.