Wolfgang Hoppe
Encyclopedia
Wolfgang Hoppe (ˈhɔppə; born 14 November 1957, Apolda
, Thuringia
) is an East German former decathlete, bob pilot and 36-time international medal winner who competed from the early 1980s to the late 1990s. Competing in four Winter Olympics, he won six medals with two golds (Two-man: 1984
, Four-man: 1984), three silvers (Two-man: 1988
, Four-man: 1988, 1992
), and one bronze (1994
).
At the opening ceremonies of the 1992 Winter Olympics
in Albertville
, Hoppe carried the flag of Germany, who was competing as a unified nation in the Winter Olympics for the first time since the 1936 Winter Olympics
in Garmisch-Partenkirchen
.
Hoppe also won fourteen medals at the FIBT World Championships
with six golds (Two-man: 1985
, 1986
, 1989
; Four-man: 1991
, 1995
, 1997
), one silver (Four-man: 1987
), and seven bronzes (Two-man: 1983
, 1987, 1990
, 1991, 1993
; Four-man: 1989, 1996
). He also won the Bobsleigh World Cup championship in combined men's (1991–92), two-man (1990–91), and four-man (1991–92, 1995–96).
Hoppe a former army major retired from bobsledding after the 1997 FIBT World Championships
to become coach of the German national team, coaching such athletes as Susi Erdmann
, Sandra Kiriasis
, Gabriele Kohlisch
, and André Lange
.
He is the brother of motocross
racer and 37-time medal winner Heinz Hoppe.
Apolda
Apolda is a town in central Thuringia, Germany, the capital of the Weimarer Land district. It is situated in the center of the triangle Weimar - Jena - Naumburg near the river Ilm, c. 15 km east by north from Weimar, on the main line of railway from Berlin via Halle, to...
, Thuringia
Thuringia
The Free State of Thuringia is a state of Germany, located in the central part of the country.It has an area of and 2.29 million inhabitants, making it the sixth smallest by area and the fifth smallest by population of Germany's sixteen states....
) is an East German former decathlete, bob pilot and 36-time international medal winner who competed from the early 1980s to the late 1990s. Competing in four Winter Olympics, he won six medals with two golds (Two-man: 1984
1984 Winter Olympics
The 1984 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XIV Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated from 8–19 February 1984 in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia. Other candidate cities were Sapporo, Japan; and Gothenburg, Sweden...
, Four-man: 1984), three silvers (Two-man: 1988
1988 Winter Olympics
The 1988 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XV Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event celebrated in and around Calgary, Alberta, Canada from 13 to 28 February 1988. The host was selected in 1981 after having beat Falun, Sweden and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy...
, Four-man: 1988, 1992
1992 Winter Olympics
The 1992 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XVI Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event celebrated from 8 to 23 February 1992 in Albertville, France. They were the last Winter Olympics to be held the same year as the Summer Olympics, and the first where the Winter Paralympics...
), and one bronze (1994
1994 Winter Olympics
The 1994 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XVII Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event celebrated from 12 to 27 February 1994 in and around Lillehammer, Norway. Lillehammer failed to win the bid for the 1992 event. Lillehammer was awarded the games in 1988, after having beat...
).
At the opening ceremonies of the 1992 Winter Olympics
1992 Winter Olympics
The 1992 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XVI Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event celebrated from 8 to 23 February 1992 in Albertville, France. They were the last Winter Olympics to be held the same year as the Summer Olympics, and the first where the Winter Paralympics...
in Albertville
Albertville
Albertville is a commune in the Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.The town is best known for hosting the 1992 Winter Olympics.-Geography:...
, Hoppe carried the flag of Germany, who was competing as a unified nation in the Winter Olympics for the first time since the 1936 Winter Olympics
1936 Winter Olympics
The 1936 Winter Olympics, officially known as the IV Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1936 in the market town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen in Bavaria, Germany. Germany also hosted the Summer Olympics the same year in Berlin...
in Garmisch-Partenkirchen
Garmisch-Partenkirchen
Garmisch-Partenkirchen is a mountain resort town in Bavaria, southern Germany. It is the administrative centre of the district of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, in the Oberbayern region, and the district is on the border with Austria...
.
Hoppe also won fourteen medals at the FIBT World Championships
FIBT World Championships
The FIBT World Championships, part of the Fédération Internationale de Bobsleigh et de Tobogganing , have taken place on an annual basis in non-Winter Olympic years since 1930. A two-man event was included in 1931 with a combined championship occurring in 1947...
with six golds (Two-man: 1985
FIBT World Championships 1985
The FIBT World Championships 1985 took place in Cervinia, Italy for the third time, having hosted the event previously in 1971 and 1975. Except for competitions in St...
, 1986
FIBT World Championships 1986
The FIBT World Championships 1986 took place in Königssee, West Germany for the second time, having hosted the event previously in 1979.-Two man bobsleigh:-Four man bobsleigh:-Medal table:-References:**...
, 1989
FIBT World Championships 1989
The FIBT World Championships 1989 took place in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy and St. Moritz, Switzerland . Cortina hosted the championships for the eighth time, having hosted the event previously in 1937 , 1939 , 1950, 1954, 1960, 1966, and 1981. Meanwhile, St. Moritz hosted a championship event for...
; Four-man: 1991
FIBT World Championships 1991
The FIBT World Championships 1991 took place in Altenberg, Germany and Igls, Austria . This was Altenberg's first time hosting a championship event. Igls was hosting its third, doing so previously in 1935 and 1963...
, 1995
FIBT World Championships 1995
The FIBT World Championships 1995 took place in Winterberg, Germany and Lillehammer, Norway . This was the first time both cities hosted a championship event.-Two man bobsleigh:...
, 1997
FIBT World Championships 1997
The FIBT World Championships 1997 took place in St. Moritz, Switzerland and Lake Placid, New York, United States . St. Moritz hosted a championship event for the record eighteenth time...
), one silver (Four-man: 1987
FIBT World Championships 1987
The FIBT World Championships 1987 took place in St. Moritz, Switzerland for the record fifteenth time. The Swiss city had hosted the event previously in 1931 , 1935 , 1937 , 1938 , 1939 , 1947, 1955, 1957, 1959, 1965, 1970, 1974, 1977, and 1982...
), and seven bronzes (Two-man: 1983
FIBT World Championships 1983
The FIBT World Championships 1983 took place in Lake Placid, New York, United States for the sixth time, hosting the event previously in 1949, 1961, 1969, 1973, and 1978.-Two man bobsleigh:-Four man bobsleigh:-Medal table:-References:**...
, 1987, 1990
FIBT World Championships 1990
The FIBT World Championships 1990 took place in St. Moritz, Switzerland and Königssee, West Germany . St. Moritz hosted a championship event for the record seventeenth time...
, 1991, 1993
FIBT World Championships 1993
The FIBT World Championships 1993 took place in Igls, Austria and La Plagne, France . This was Igls's fourth time hosting the championships, doing so previously in 1935 and 1963, and 1991 . Meanwhile, La Plagne was hosting its first championship event.-Selection issue:Igls was not the first...
; Four-man: 1989, 1996
FIBT World Championships 1996
The FIBT World Championships 1996 took place in Calgary, Alberta, Canada for a second time, hosting the event previously in 1992 . It marked the first time the bobsleigh and skeleton competition took place in the same location at the championships since 1982.-Two man bobsleigh:-Four man...
). He also won the Bobsleigh World Cup championship in combined men's (1991–92), two-man (1990–91), and four-man (1991–92, 1995–96).
Hoppe a former army major retired from bobsledding after the 1997 FIBT World Championships
FIBT World Championships 1997
The FIBT World Championships 1997 took place in St. Moritz, Switzerland and Lake Placid, New York, United States . St. Moritz hosted a championship event for the record eighteenth time...
to become coach of the German national team, coaching such athletes as Susi Erdmann
Susi Erdmann
Susi Erdmann is an East German-German luger and bobsledder who competed from 1977 to 1998 in luge, then since 1999 in bobsleigh...
, Sandra Kiriasis
Sandra Kiriasis
Sandra Kiriasis is a German bobsledder who has competed since 2000.At the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City she won silver in the two-woman event together with teammate Ulrike Holzner...
, Gabriele Kohlisch
Gabriele Kohlisch
Gabriele Kohlisch is a German luger and bobsledder who competed from the mid 1980s to 1997 in luge, then from 1998 to the early 2000s in bobsleigh...
, and André Lange
André Lange
André Lange is a retired German bobsledder and the most successful bob pilot of all time who competed at senior level from 1998 to 2010. Competing in three Winter Olympics, he has won four gold medals. He was born in Ilmenau, Thuringia....
.
He is the brother of motocross
Motocross
Motocross is a form of motorcycle sport or all-terrain vehicle racing held on enclosed off road circuits. It evolved from trials, and was called scrambles, and later motocross, combining the French moto with cross-country...
racer and 37-time medal winner Heinz Hoppe.
See also
- Bobsleigh Olympic Medal table