Georg Hackl “Schorsch” is the German luge legend par excellence and well known beyond the bounds of sport. Today as coach of Felix Loch and Co. he talks about the upcoming winter games in South Korea and criticizes the greed of the IOC.
In addition, the 51-year-old is cleaning up with rumours about parties in the Olympic Village, telling of his successful career and reporting on his beer consumption as well as TV shows with Stefan Raab.
SPOX: Mr. Hackl, you work as a technical trainer for the German tobogganing team and are therefore involved in every World Cup weekend. How can you imagine your work there?
Georg Hackl: During the training sessions, I am standing at different focal points of the track and, drawing on my many years of experience, I provide timely information via radio, where our athletes can improve. After the training we will discuss the whole thing in more detail using video analyses.
SPOX: As an active athlete, you have always been known as a tinkerer who has constantly worked on his sled. To what extent does this still stand in the foreground?
Hackl: The entire construction of the sled is crucial for a good function. Accordingly, we work on it every day and always try to improve something. The geometric shape of the runners, for example, must be adapted to suit the curve radii, ice conditions or temperatures.
SPOX: How important is the feedback of the athlete?
Hackl: Very important. The athlete must know his or her equipment well and have a strong connection to it. The most important basis of my work is the absolutely precise and trustful feedback of the athletes. Without these, I can do little.
SPOX: Germany has been a force in luge for decades. What are the reasons for this long-lasting success?
Hackl: Due to the reunification, Germany has four railways and five bases where sporting performance is developed. These bases are in a sense in competition with each other, so that the right gas is given everywhere and the sighted talents can be further developed. In addition, thanks to the sports groups of the police and the Bundeswehr as well as the elite sports schools, we have ideal conditions for a dual career. This is a system that works very well. Nevertheless, however, other nations are of course always in a position to stand up to us.
SPOX: Also at the upcoming Winter Olympics?
Hackl: You never know. I find everything that is predicted in sport is absolutely presumptuous and inappropriate. Here the best of the best of the best compete against each other to make any assumptions at this point, is from my point of view complete nonsense. Of course, we want to be as successful as possible, even though a success like four years ago in Sochi (four gold and one silver medal; note:”We are very happy to be able to do this”. d. Red.) will be difficult to repeat.
SPOX: Nevertheless, Felix Loch could catch up with you in the matter of Olympic medals. Would you fox that?
Hackl: No, my successes are already in the history books. And Felix is such a gifted athlete that sooner or later he will top my successes anyway. I have a very close relationship with him and I am thrilled to be successful not only as an athlete but also as a trainer. Basically, Felix refines my medals in a special way.
SPOX: After the games in Sochi you criticized Felix Loch for the fact that he “can’t really run full” and you remarked that you had never seen him “drunk and puking in the mud”. Did such a thing happen to you more often?
Hackl: (laughs) No, I always hated that. I have a natural barrier and stop drinking when it gets really uncomfortable. I like to drink a glass every now and then – or two, three, four, five, six, seven – but I rarely had to throw up.
SPOX: The Olympic Village is sometimes considered a party venue. They were active athletes six times in total. Is it really that wild?
Hackl: There are no parties at all in the Olympic Village. If you threw one, there would be immediate sanctions because other athletes have to sleep before their competitions. If you have your medals in your pocket, the most you can do is to celebrate outside in any location such as the Kufenstüberl or the Austria House. It’s just rumors that things are going so wild in the village.
SPOX: Just like the alleged condoms in every room?
Hackl: Yes, that too is a great myth. This time I asked where the condoms are, which are always reported in the media. There was only the answer:”There are no condoms here!” (laughs) It’s a very decent thing to do. When men and women actually get together, they do it the way they usually do all over the world: They don’t let themselves be watched. So there is no mention of group sex parties. Anyway, I’ve never heard of it – whatever that means. (laughs)
Page 1: Georg Hackl on toboggan training, Olympia 2018 and parties in the Olympic Village
Page 2: Georg Hackl on the IOC, his career and the Wok World Championship with Stefan Raab