Through the ice channel at over 155 km/h

No, he's not afraid. “But of course respect. It is necessary to have respect for the railways. Otherwise you underestimate them,” says Patrick Baumgartner. The 26-year-old from Issing (Pfalzen municipality) has been number 3 in the Italian national team for almost three years now. Baumgartner regularly competes as a pilot in both the two-man and four-man bobsleighs.

The Pusterer is particularly fond of the four-man bobsleigh. This is his specialty. The explanation for this is obvious: “Even faster, even more technical,” is how Baumgartner describes this discipline. On tracks like Whistler, Canada, the four-man bobsleighs reach phenomenal top speeds. The German bobsleigh pilot Francesco Friedrich holds the world record on this track at 157,06 km/h. He raced to this record in 2019. In the same year, on the same track, Baumgartner raced to his personal record at 155,2 km/h.

Pilot Baumgartner in the four-man bobsleigh 2019 in Canada. © ibsf

Of course, one might think that danger is always racing along. But: “The sport is no more dangerous than other sports,” emphasizes Baumgartner. The athletes are now so well protected and the tracks are constructed so safely that even serious falls usually end lightly. In addition, falls are always the result of blatant driving errors. The last fatal accident in the ice track occurred in 2010, when Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili died in a training accident. The last fatal bobsleigh accident dates back to 2004: The German Yvonne Cernota had a fatal accident while training in Königssee. First skier Baumgartner wants to minimize the residual risk with concentrated trips. But he has always been a fan of speed. In his childhood, the Pusterer took part in ski races. However, at the age of 15 he discovered his passion for bobsleigh. “Actually by chance,” he remembers. His uncle Enrico Cantale worked as a carabiniere together with the former bobsleigh pilot Arnold Huber. He and his brother, Olympic bobsleigh champion Günther Huber, were looking for young talent as trainers for “their” spectacular sport. “The speed, the adrenaline, I was impressed by it.” Patrick Baumgartner Baumgartner was immediately persuaded and tried the track in Igls. “The speed, the adrenaline, I was impressed by it,” said Baumgartner. When he found out that the Youth Olympic Games would take place on the same track in Igls two years later in 2, he worked towards this goal. “That was huge motivation for me; I really wanted to be there,” he says. And in the end he not only took part, but even won the gold medal in the two-man bobsleigh, celebrating his greatest success to date.

The Pusterer still has a lot to do. © ibsf

In recent years, Baumgartner has finally approached the World Cup. Thanks to great successes, especially in the European Cup, he became Italy's number 1 in bobsleigh. “I want to represent South Tyrol and Italy in this sport as best as possible and compete with the world’s best,” he says, setting out the route.

He achieved his best results in this special Corona season and already made it into the top 10 in the two-man bobsleigh. Currently the best result so far appears to be 7th place. There have been no four-man bobsleigh races in the past few months due to the Corona safety regulations. Baumgartner's special discipline will not be included in the World Cup program again until January.

Baumgartner, who made the jump to the Italian prison police's sports group three years ago and has been able to practice the sport professionally since then, travels around the world with the bobsleigh. Logistically, this is sometimes a challenge. “But always well organized,” he confirms. All equipment, including the sleds, is loaded into containers and usually taken to the respective World Cup destination by plane and small truck. Own two-man bobsleigh Baumgartner is the proud owner of his own two-man bobsleigh. In the summer of 2019 he was able to buy his own bobsleigh with the help of sponsors. The costs amounted to over 20.000 euros. The four-man bobsleigh is provided to the pilot by the Italian winter sports association. Nevertheless, he is always tinkering with the material himself. “To be able to keep up with the world’s best,” as he emphasizes.

The big goal is now Beijing 2022. Then he would like to compete for the top places. “The chances of a medal are of course slim given the competition, but a top 10 place should be the goal,” Baumgartner looks ahead.

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Through the ice channel at over 155 km/h

Bobsledding is his passion – and his job. Patrick Baumgartner from Pusteria races through the world's ice channels at top speeds of up to 155,2 km/h.

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