Background
Hackl was born in Berchtesgaden, Bavaria.
Hackl was born in Berchtesgaden, Bavaria.
He is known affectionately as Hackl-Schorsch or as the Speeding Weißwurst a reference to what he looks like in his white bodysuit coming down the luge at fast speeds. He took up luge as part of his physical education lessons whilst at school, learning to slide at the Königssee track. Although Hackl was not as natural an athlete as Prock, he was noted as being extremely skilled at setting up his sled to suit particular ice conditions on a given day.
In addition his coach and former luger Thomas Schwab highlighted Hackl"s mental strength as being key to his success.
Most recently, he placed 7th in the 2006 Winter Olympics. Hackl has retired from active participation and got involved in coaching after the 2006 Winter Olympics.
Lugers coached by Hackl include Felix Loch, Natalie Geisenberger, Tobias Wendl and Tobias Arlt. This included six golds (Men"s singles: 1988, 1990.
Mixed team: 1988, 1992, 2000, 2002), three silvers (Men"s singles: 1994, Mixed team: 1990, 1994), and one bronze (Men"s singles: 1992).
He was inducted into the International Luge Federation"s Hall of Fame in 2013.