Evelin Lanthaler: Toboggan quickly and enjoy

“I will miss Greta very much,” the 32-year-old from Platt in Passeier begins the conversation. In fact, Greta Pinggera from Lasa gave up her sleigh last spring. Lanthaler's good friend was always a challenging competitor, and it was in each other's duels that Greta and Evelin achieved top performance. “I also owe many of my successes to Greta because the sporting competition with her motivated me extremely,” says Evelin Lanthaler today.

So the tobogganer from Passeier is now, so to speak, the “old woman” in the national team, which once again only consists of South Tyrolean women. However, Evelin Lanthaler has a lot of respect for the “young people” and sees a lot of potential in them: “Daniela Mittermair and Nadine Staffler have already had good experiences and have proven that they can be at the forefront.” Therefore, Evelin Lanthaler will have to really stretch herself in order to continue to play the dominant role. And in Austria, Tina Unterberger is still involved, who can always cause a sensation, while behind her, Ricarda Ruetz in particular has enormous potential. What makes Evelin sad is still the lack of Russian athletes. “Our sport needs more internationality, otherwise only a few people will pay attention to us.” The World Cup calendar (with races in the Alpine region and a trip to Romania) also does not meet the call for more international prestige.

Despite all these considerations, “Miss Naturbahn” has prepared conscientiously for the new season. During the day she waited tables in a pizzeria in St. Leonhard, and in the evenings she was either with the team during dry training in Frangart or privately in the fitness studio in Sinich. Evelin Lanthaler also had extensive mountain hikes, many bicycle tours and numerous skill exercises. “Unfortunately I never sat on a sled until mid-November. I hope to be able to do that before the start of the World Cup,” says the world and European champion.

The Passeir woman was ultimately the measure of all things. © Sobe Hermann

It starts in Kühtai in mid-December, the track is new and still unknown to Lanthaler. The Austrians will certainly enjoy a home advantage there, but the athlete from Passeier is immediately on the attack. “When I’m at the start, I want to go for a win. But to do that I have to stretch properly. I know that the many successes of the last few years might lead you to believe that everything is so easy for me. But: It is never a warning Oktoberfest. I trust in my abilities, I trust in my material, which Toni Blasbichler and Toni Blasbichler always provide in such an exemplary manner, but I believe that there will also come a day when I will no longer be at the top. “That’s the way things are, I have to be prepared for that,” is the athlete’s objective analysis, but she draws a lot of strength from her humility. “I like tobogganing so much because I simply enjoy tobogganing. And if you're successful, all the better," smiles the Passierian woman, who isn't thinking about quitting yet.

Sure, the inclusion of natural track luge at the Olympics would have given an additional boost, but it didn't happen. From today's perspective, the international association FIL has missed a great opportunity here, but Evelin Lanthaler doesn't want to complain: “It hurts me very much for my friends in the artificial track that nothing is happening with Cortina. I can understand your frustration. And for us natural track tobogganers, it's a bad taste that we weren't even taken into account. We would have fit very well into the program as an addition to artificial track tobogganing, also because our sport certainly does justice to the idea of sustainability.”

The highlight of winter 2023/24 is certainly the European Championships in Jaufental, but for Evelin Lanthaler all World Cup races count equally, and she is also particularly looking forward to the quasi-home race in Laas. There is tobogganing there at Epiphany, and a month later the European Championship races are scheduled in Jaufental. “I first have to really get to know the track in Jaufental, so far it has always been very, very narrow there, and it will be the same next February. But close races in particular motivate me, are a great motivation, and I will give my best as always.”

This attitude has characterized Evelin Lanthaler since her first attempts at tobogganing on the snow-covered meadow behind her home, and it will be the same this coming winter.

Facts about the person Name: Evelin Lanthaler Date and place of birth: May 6, 1991 in Passeier Location: St. Martin in Passeier Sports group: RV Passeier

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Evelin Lanthaler: Toboggan quickly and enjoy

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