Athlete Bios
Luge
Tatjana Hüfner: a rising star in German Luge
Last Updated: Monday, February 8, 2010 | 9:52 AM ET
New York Times for CBC Sports
Tatjana Hüfner leads the next generation of Germany's successful luge racers. (Oliver Lang/Getty Images)The German women have passed on luge medals like an inheritance, and Tatjana Hüfner is probably next in line if Germany continues its dominance in the sport.
With the retirements of Sylke Otto and Silke Kraushaar-Pielach, who captured the gold and silver in women's luge singles at the 2006 Turin Games, Hüfner will look to continue Germany's string of gold medals. German women have won 27 of the 36 medals since luge made its debut at the 1964 Olympics in Innsbruck, Austria.
Hüfner, 26, won the bronze medal at the 2006 Games, finishing behind Otto and Kraushaar-Pielach. Hüfner won a record five singles events in the 2008-09 World Cup season as well as the overall title in 2008. She finished sixth at the 2009 world championships at Lake Placid, N.Y., where Erin Hamlin of the United States ended the Germans' 16-year run of world titles.
"It looks easier than it is," Hüfner said of Germany's dominance. "I try to be very motivated for every race, and if that is enough for the victory, great. It's fantastic to have such German dominance, but one day that run will come to an end, just hopefully not soon."
