Winterberg (RWH) Bobsleigh pilot Anna Köhler and push athlete Erline Nolte, 13th in 2-woman Bobsleigh at the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, ended their careers as athletes. This was announced by the German federation BSD (Bob- und Schlittenverband für Deutschland).
The 27-year-old Anna Köhler was the 2019 Team World Champion in Whistler (CAN): together with push athlete Lisa Gericke as well as Johannes Lochner/Marc Rademacher and skeleton athletes Christopher Grotheer and Sophia Griebel, she won gold at the BMW IBSF World Championships. In 2018, Anna Köhler took two third places in the BMW IBSF World Cup. In the winter of 2020/2021, the silver medallist of the 2017 Junior World Championships did not make it to a World Cup starting spot in the German team and competed in her last race in the IBSF European Cup in December 2020.
Push athlete Erline Nolte was Junior World Champion in 2014 with pilot Miriam Wagner. In her 17 World Cup starts, the 31-year-old finished in the top six ten times. For her three World Cup podium places, Erline Nolte and her pilots always dueled with record World Champion Kaillie Humphries (USA): In December 2019, Erline Nolte and pilot Kim Kalicki finished second behind Humphries in Lake Placid (USA). In January 2020, Laura Nolte/Erline Nolte relegated the two-time Olympic Champion to third place in Innsbruck by 0.03 seconds. In the following race at Königssee, Kaillie Humphries was then ahead by 0.03 seconds and won the race ahead of the duo Nolte/Nolte.
Erline Nolte's last race was the BMW IBSF World Cup including European Championships in Sigulda in February 2020: she finished fourth with Olympic Champion Mariama Jamanka. ©RWH2021
Header Photo: BSD/Sportpresse Reker - Dietmar Reker
Photos: IBSF / Viesturs Lacis
