Armin Zöggeler

Armin Zöggeler (born 4 January 1974) is an Italian luger and double Olympic champion. He is one of the most successful men in the sport, nicknamed "Il Cannibale" ("The Cannibal"), for his notable series of victories, or "The Iceblood Champion", for his always cold, rational approach to the races.

Zöggeler was born in Merano, Italy. A police officer by profession, he began to luge at a very young age, over natural tracks. He won the junior World Cup when he was 14, and made his debut with the Italian national team at the age of 19. Despite a lack of tracks in Italy until the construction of the Cesana Pariol track for the 2006 Winter Olympics, he evolved into one of the most effective lugers ever.

Zöggeler is the only Italian to have won at least a medal in four consecutive editions of Olympic Games (Summer Olympics included) with medals in the men's singles event that include two golds (2002, 2006), one silver (1998), and one bronze (1994). He also has thirteen medals at the FIL World Luge Championships, including five golds (Men's singles: 1995, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2005), four silvers (Men's singles: 2000, 2007; Mixed team: 1995, 2007), and four bronzes (Mixed team: 1996, 1997, 2004, 2005).

At the FIL European Luge Championships, Zöggeler has earned eleven medals. This includes three golds (Men's singles: 2004, 2008 , Mixed team: 1994), three silvers (Men's singles: 2006, Mixed team: 2004, 2006), and five bronzes (Men's singles: 1994, 2000, 2002; Mixed team: 2000, 2008).

He won the overall Luge World Cup in men's singles seven times (1997-8, 1999-2000, 2000-1, 2003-4, 2005-6, 2006-7, 2007-8).

Zöggeler's 38 individual wins in the World Cup (as of January 2008), he is first of all time, beating the previous record of 33 wins by both German Georg Hackl and Austrian Markus Prock.

Zöggeler lives in the town of Lana, in the province of Bolzano-Bozen. He has two children, Nina and Thomas, and married their mother on May 12, 2007.

References

* [http://www.fil-luge.org/filext/athlet/erfolge_en.asp?p_id=100089 FIL-Luge profile]
* [http://www.hickoksports.com/history/olluge.shtml Hickoksports.com results on Olympic champions in luge and skelton.]
* [http://www.hickoksports.com/history/worldluge.shtml Hickok sports information on World champions in luge and skeleton.]
* [http://www.eiskanal.com/eiskanal-kunstbahnrennrodeln-europameisterschaften.html List of European luge champions] de icon
* [http://sports123.com/lug/mwc-s.html List of men's singles luge World Cup champions since 1978.]
* [http://www.fuzilogik.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=279&Itemid=105 Winter Olympic results - men's luge: 1964-2006]