Martin Hillebrand new athletics coach of Russia’s luge team
Altenberg (pps) With immediate effect, Russia’s luge team will be joined by an experienced coach. After 30 years as athletics coach of the German team Martin Hillebrand will now be working in the same capacity for Russia. This was confirmed by the Vice President and head coach of the Russian Luge Federation, Valeri Silakov during the Viessmann Luge World Cup in Altenberg (January 21-23). The 61-year old sports instructor from Schoenau near Koenigssee will thus be working together with Russia’s luge athletes, such as, for instance, 2006 Olympic runner-up Albert Demchenko or European champion Tatjana Ivanova, to further improve their starting times. Actually, Hillebrand is not Russia’s only high-carat new hire. Already before the new season kicked off Wolfgang Schaedler, who left USA Luge after 23 years working as a coach, joined the Russian Luge Federation. Also new on the team: mental coach Vasilisa Korheeva, a psychologist from Moscow.
Already in 2010, Bernhard Glass of Germany’s Bobsleigh and Sled Sports Federation, BSD, “emigrated” to Canada. In the future, Norbert Hahn will assume responsibility for the young German talents.
