A South Tyrolean tobogganing legend turns 70

The man from Kiens-Ehrenburg helped shape luge racing for two decades. He traveled with the single-seater and the double-seater sleigh. “Two-lane”, so to speak, is no longer possible these days in the age of specialization. Hildgartner was one of the first of many South Tyrolean tobogganers who were world class in this sport. His companions at the time were Erika Lechner (Olympic champion in 1968), Karl Brunner (world champion in 1971), Ernst Haspinger (first overall World Cup winner) and of course his long-time partner Walter Plaikner (71).

Later they were joined by the Huber brothers, Kurt Brugger, Hansjörg Raffl, Gerda Weissensteiner, Oswald Haselrieder and Gerhard Plankensteiner, all decorated with Olympic medals and world fame. And finally outshined by the unique Armin Zöggeler, the most successful tobogganer of all time, who, now as Italy's tobogganing boss, sent Dominik Fiwickeler into the Olympic bronze lane at the Winter Games in Beijing. But today we want to pay tribute to Paul Hildgartner: his life and a few highlights of his career!

One of the first was the World Cup doubles title in Olang in 1971. Hildgartner/Plaikner, 18- and 19-year-old outsiders, triumphed on their natural ice home track over the two-time title holders Schmid/Walch (Austria). The author of these lines was allowed to be there as a reporter back then. A huge crowd that also celebrated Karl Brunner as individual world champion and Erika Lechner for silver. And, recalls Hintermann Plaikner, “it brought great advertising for our Kronplatz region on television.” Like today's biathlon in Antholz. Olympic gold & Co. Just a year later, in Sapporo, Japan, Hildgartner won his first Olympic gold. Again with dream partner Walter Plaikner. But this time, in addition to the carabinieri, two sports soldiers from Oberhof were at the top, Reinhard Bredow and Horst Hörnlein. Both doubles had the same time after their two runs. To the hundredth. So - logically - there was gold for both.

In an open Mercedes: Reception of the Olympic champions Hildgartner and Plaikner in their home community. © Photo Rapid

On their triumphant return to Kiens, the winners received a Fiat as a bonus. According to tradition, novice driver Hildgartner soon caused a power outage in nearby Valdaora. The 19-year-old, already an enthusiastic hunter back then, had followed a rabbit across a meadow in his small car and had cracked a wooden light pole in the process. sins of youth.

After these Winter Games, the world association FIL introduced time measurement in thousandths of a second. These are millimeters. Can only be measured with the electronic eye. So in 1998 in Nagano, two thousandths of a second decided the Olympic victory for the women's luge: 46 millimeters, after four runs and a 4764 meter race track. Extremely unfair, says the author, who described the duel on television at the time. Olympic gold also in the single-seater Let's jump to the final climax in Paul Hildgartner's proud career. 12 years after the doubles victory in Sapporo and numerous other trophies, he won his second Olympic gold medal in Sarajevo in 1984. This time as a soloist in a single-seater. Matured, calm, confident - he achieved the best time in 3 of 4 runs on the Trebevic track, which had since been destroyed by the war. Seven tenths ahead of two Soviet Russians - Hildgartner, the Azzurri's gold-plated standard bearer.

The day after his victory, he sat - with the medal around his neck - in the ZDF reporter's booth during the women's race as a TV expert, with a South Tyrolean accent. The next day, however, Gold-Paul had to speak Italian. In the neighboring cabin. His colleagues at RAI, who had pricked up their ears, poached him. In 1988, four years later, the South Tyrolean led the “Azzurri” once again as flag bearer to the Olympic Stadium in Calgary: at the age of 36, he said goodbye to active sport. With an honorable 10th place, at his 5th Olympic Games. Beginnings on the natural track He learned the ABCs of tobogganing on the natural track, encouraged by his older brother Leopold. This also brought him together with Walter Plaikner: the beginning of a great career together. Hildgartner as the man in front, Plaikner as the man behind. During a telephone conversation, the partner of many years raved about the man in front of him as a “great athlete who lived the sport of tobogganing; who had strong nerves, a meticulous technician and was extremely disciplined.” So strict that he once locked him out of the shared room when Plaikner knocked on the door 10 minutes after the tattoo.

Erika Lechner (center) with Paul Hildgartner and Walter Plaickner in Sapporo in 1972. © Zett

Both remained loyal to tobogganing even after their active careers: Hildgartner as a coach in Norway and Canada; Plaikner in Italy, Japan, the USA and Russia. They both also served their sport as officials in the International Association. While Plaikner is still only partially retired, Hildgartner stopped working several years earlier in order to finally be there for the family, to support his wife Margit in the historic “Gasthof Knapp” and to share a passion with her to enjoy - the hunt.

The couple, who have been married for 41 years, are proud of their two children. Daughter Katharina became an art historian, son Alexander became a doctor and has been a radiologist in Thuringia for 14 years. He and his wife, also a doctor, are currently worried: one of the three daughters is so seriously ill that their grandmother from South Tyrol is staying in Weimar for a few weeks to provide support. Also today on my husband's 70th birthday.

Visitor from Germany: In the middle Paul Hildgartner with his wife, left and right Mr. and Mrs. Angermann.

Nevertheless, there will be a small celebration for straw widower Paul, who has to look after the house in Ehrenburg - with brother Leopold, tobogganing partner Plaikner and friends, on the mudflats. Of course there is a toast to the birthday child. The author and companion does this in Germany, with a “grappa” from the souvenir glass of the 1971 Toboggan World Championships in Olang: To your well-being, dear Paul Hildgartner!

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A South Tyrolean tobogganing legend turns 70

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