Long-running favorite among athletes: natural track tobogganer Evelin Lanthaler. © Andreas Ebermann

Athlete choice: These women are available for selection

Back to the beginning: Not in October, as in the last four years, but again at the beginning of the year, the “Dolomites” athletes' election calls. From now on we are looking for South Tyrol's most successful and popular athletes as well as coaches and teams.

08. February 2024

From: sn

For the 36th time, from today until March 10th, the athlete election will be carried out in the tried and tested form with a coupon and online voting. Starting today, the readers of the Tagblatt will decide who will receive the coveted trophies in the “Dolomiten” athlete election Dolomitesby using coupon on this Online site and vote in the “Dolomiten-Zett” app. Today we are introducing the women's candidates.

Hannah Auchentaller (biathlon)

© JUERGEN EHEIM

In February 2023, the woman from Antholz will literally outgrow herself at the Biathlon World Championships in Oberhof and almost sensationally win the gold medal with Italy's women's relay team. She also competes in the World Cup and shows off her talent again and again. With Rebecca Passler she will soon follow in the footsteps of veteran Dorothea Wierer. Biathlon continues to boom in Antholz.

Jasmin Coratti (snowboard)

© Miha Matavz Photography / Miha Matavz

The Upper Vinschger native is increasingly establishing herself as a worthy successor to Nadya Ochner, who has since resigned. After a long start-up period, Edwin Coratti's younger sister has hit the ground running in the World Cup. Before the turn of the year she placed in the top 2 twice before achieving her first World Cup podium places twice within 10 days in January.

Silvia Fiori (volleyball)

After several seasons in the A1 series, the explosive libero from Meran impressed in this year's A2 series at Albese Como. With great defensive work and precise assumptions, the woman from Passerstadt plays a key role in her team. Fiori not only inspires as an athlete, she is also number 1 in human terms and is always in a good mood.

Raphaela Folie (volleyball)

The powerful middle blocker is still one of the best at almost 33. Thanks to her explosiveness, she is feared by every attacker in the A1 series. When his knees cooperate, Folie is still one of the best in the middle of the net in the world. At Vero Volley Milan she can continue her title hunt: in the Italian Cup, the championship and the Champions League.

Yasmine Hamza (badminton)

The 20-year-old badminton player is going strong in 2023. Hamza wins the Chile International and reaches the finals in Brazil, Venezuela and Peru. This gives her a lot of valuable points in the Olympic rankings. The woman from Bolzano almost qualified for the 2024 Olympic Games before a torn cruciate ligament ruined her dreams of Paris.

Evelin Lanthaler (natural track tobogganing)

Lanthaler has been the number 1 among natural track tobogganers for years. She celebrates World Cup victories, titles and wins big crystal balls. She is rapidly approaching 50 World Cup victories. Often it even gets in the face of most men. At the World Championships in Deutschnofen she won individual and team gold. She holds 7 world titles and 7 overall victories, with more to come.

Sandra Mairhofer (cross triathlon)

She is the exception in cross triathlon and successfully defended her world title in Ibiza last year after she won world championship gold in the winter triathlon in Norway at the end of March. The sports teacher won silver at the XTerra European Championships in Belgium before falling at the XTerra in the Czech Republic and having to bury her hopes of winning gold at the World Championships in September.

Anika Niederwieser (handball)

The Brixen backcourt player has been one of the best defenders in the German Bundesliga for years. With her club, Thüringer HC, she won the runner-up in 2022/23 and qualified for the Final 4 in Graz in the European League. In the Bundesliga it is currently in third place with THC, and in Europe it is still unbeaten this season.

Kathrin Oberhauser (disabled sports)

She is one of the big names among athletes with mental disabilities. Kathrin Oberhauser from SSV Brixen wins gold in the 50, 100 and 200 m backstroke at the FISDIR Italian Championships. What sets them apart. is training hard work and an incredible passion. In winter, Kathrin is an enthusiastic ski racer and competes successfully in races.

Giorgia Piccolin (table tennis)

As number 90, she is currently Italy's best player in the world rankings, and in the "Race to Paris", which is crucial for Olympic qualification, she is currently the best of the "Azzurre" at number 45. A few weeks ago she and her partner Niagol Stojanow became the first Italian duo to win a mixed doubles WTT tournament in Corpus Christi in the USA.

Greta Pinggera (natural track tobogganing)

After a long and successful career, Greta Pinggera says goodbye to tobogganing. The woman from Laas, who now lives in Feldthurns, will end her career in 2023 with third place in the overall ranking and World Championship silver behind the currently unbeatable Evelin Lanthaler. The native of Vinschgeren sees no future due to the lack of Olympic recognition.

Magdalena Pircher (martial arts)

The 26-year-old is into martial arts, trains hard every day and even harder during intense times. Pircher experienced a great moment in Muay Thai (Thai boxing) in her hometown on May 6th. In the Sheraton she won the European Championships in the category up to 51 kilograms against the Spanish Claudia Perona. The woman from Bolzano has big plans and dreams of a fight for the world title.

Eva Schatzer (football)

At the age of 18, she is in Italy's extended World Cup squad and completes the training camp in Reischach with the “Azzurre”. In order to give the mega-talent some match practice, Juventus is loaning the young Vahrner to Sampdoria. In Genoa, the midfielder is an absolute top performer in Serie A and scored her first goal in the top league against Inter on December 9th.

Katja Schroffenegger (football)

The 32-year-old from Karneid continues to be one of the best goalkeepers in Italian football. She has been part of the top club Fiorentina since 2020 and is contesting her 4th Serie A season with the traditional club from Florence. Although she missed the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand in the summer, she was regularly in the “Azzurre” squad before and after.

Verena Steinhauser (triathlon)

The Brixen native recorded several top placings last season: She was 9th at the World Cup opener in Abu Dhabi, 7th at the European Games in Poland, 7th twice at the World Cup in Rome and Brasilia and was Italian sprint champion. She is number 23 in the world rankings and is 18th in the Olympic rankings. She has the best chance of taking part in the Olympics for the second time in a row.

Veronika Widmann (downhill mountain bike)

The Traminer is still one of the world's best in downhill mountain biking. At the World Cup in Canada she made it onto the podium in third place. At the European Championships, Veronika Widmann narrowly missed out on a medal with 4th place this time. For this she won the Italian championship title for the 5th time, ahead of European champion Eleonora Farina.

Dorothea Wierer (biathlon)

“Miss Biathlon” wins gold in Oberhof with the Italian women’s relay and also the silver medal in the mixed relay. She has been absolutely world class for almost a decade and underlines this with the World Cup victories on March 9th (individual competition) and 12th (mass start) in Östersund. At the World Championships in Summer Biathlon, Doro won the sprint title in Forni Avoltri.