Luge at the 1968 Winter Olympics – Women's singles

The Women's singles luge competition at the 1968 Winter Olympics in Grenoble was held from 11 to 13 February, at Villard-de-Lans.[1][2]

Women's singles
at the X Olympic Winter Games
VenueVillard-de-Lans
Dates11–13 February
Competitors26 from 10 nations
Winning time2:28.66
Medalists
Erika Lechner  Italy
Christa Schmuck  West Germany
Angelika Dünhaupt  West Germany
Luge at the
1968 Winter Olympics
Singlesmenwomen
Doublesmen

After three runs, there were three East German racers Ortrun Enderlein, Anna-Maria Müller and Angela Knösel in the top 4, but were disqualified when the FIL determined that they had been heating their runners, a banned practice. Italian Erika Lechner, third after three runs, was moved into first place, and won gold after the fourth run was cancelled due to bad weather.

West German media alleged race fixing,[3] while GDR sports officials blamed the West German Luge Association for staging the incident.[4] According to Stasi documents which came to light in 2006, the FIL official that made the decision had allegedly been bribed by the Federal Republic of Germany and Austria to make the allegation.[5][6] The question of whether the GDR lugers really cheated remains unresolved, with some contemporary media in Germany maintaining that the GDR team were unfairly disqualified.[7]

Results
Rank[1]AthleteCountryRun 1Run 2Run 3Total
Erika Lechner Italy48.7649.3950.512:28.66
Christa Schmuck West Germany49.1549.8450.382:29.37
Angelika Dünhaupt West Germany49.3449.8850.342:29.56
4Helena Macher Poland49.5550.0250.482:30.05
5Jadwiga Damse Poland49.6450.4350.082:30.15
6Dana Beldová-Spálenská Czechoslovakia49.2250.3650.772:30.35
7Anna Mąka Poland49.6950.0550.662:30.40
8Ute Gähler West Germany49.7849.9350.712:30.42
9Leni Thurner Austria49.6450.1550.712:30.50
10Marlene Korthals Austria49.7250.3151.302:31.33
11Olina Hátlová-Tylová Czechoslovakia50.1650.3551.142:31.65
12Linda Crutchfield-Bocock Canada50.6450.5451.282:32.46
13Berit Salomonsson Sweden50.8951.3551.312:33.55
14Kathleen Ann Roberts-Homstad United States50.6251.0451.942:33.60
15Elfriede Wäger Austria51.9350.4452.042:34.41
16Ellen Williams United States51.6751.0952.392:35.15
17Sheila Johansen United States51.2151.9052.362:35.47
18Martha Diplock Canada51.9451.5152.032:35.48
19Sylvette Grassi France51.8552.0852.552:36.48
20Jacqueline Barasinski France51.9652.3952.442:36.79
21Erica Prugger Italy61.9050.9151.402:44.21
-Ortrun Enderlein East Germany48.7449.3449.96DQ
-Anna-Maria Müller East Germany48.8849.2649.92DQ
-Angela Knösel East Germany49.1249.6550.16DQ
-Cristina Pabst Italy?DNF--
-Phyllis Walter CanadaDQ---

References
  1. "Rapport Officiel Xes Jeux Olympiques D'Hiver 1968 Grenoble" (PDF). Comité d'organisation des Xemes jeux olympiques d'hiver. LA84 Foundation. 1968. Retrieved 20 January 2014.
  2. "Luge at the 1968 Grenoble Winter Games: Women's Singles". Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 3 April 2020.
  3. Der Spiegel 19 February 1968: DDR-Mannschaft: Graue Perlen.
  4. Gesellschaft zur Förderung des Olympischen Gedankens in der Deutschen Demokratischen Republik: X. Olympische Winterspiele Grenoble 1968. Sportverlag, Berlin, 1968, p. 31 et seq. and p. 165.
  5. Friedhard Teuffel: Schnee, der auf Kufen schmilzt.
  6. MDR: Betrug auf Kufen? – Der Skandal 1968 in Grenoble.
  7. Rodel-Olympiasiegerin Müller tot (Focus)., Gestorben: Anna-Maria Müller (Spiegel)
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