Erin Hamlin
Home sweet Lake Placid
Erin Hamlin's 2009 world title came on the same Lake Placid track on which her luge career began. Her father's employer, Verizon, sponsors luge tryouts across the country, so it was natural for Hamlin, then 12, and her older brother, both of whom excelled in a variety of sports, to try out. Hamlin worked her way up through the developmental program, eventually living and training full-time in Lake Placid, faxing and emailing her schoolwork back to her high school. "When you first start, it's not as intense as it is when you see it in the Olympics," Hamlin explains. "And when you start, you want to start going faster because it's exciting, it's fun, and it's more of a challenge, and it satisfies you when you do well. By the time we're going 90 miles an hour, we've been doing it long enough and we kind of know what to do when we get into trouble so we can avoid getting seriously injured."
Surprise!
In the final event of the qualifying period for the U.S. team in 2006, Hamlin, then 19, finished fifth to earn a spot on the team. Neither she nor her Olympic Training Center roommate was expected to post top-five results in World Cup competition, but by doing so, they knocked 2002 Olympian Ashley Walden off the team. Hamlin surprised even herself by qualifying for the team and finishing 12th.
World champion
In February 2009, Hamlin's greatest achievement on the track yet came when she toppled the Germans during the World Championships in Lake Placid. Not only did she end Germany's 99-race winning streak, but Hamlin also became the first American women to win the coveted title. "Winning at Worlds was amazing," she says. "I needed to have two really good runs, and I did that. Getting over that hurdle for me was big -- to be consistent and perform under pressure. My whole family was there, so many friends were there, and to be able to finally win and to beat the Germans, you know, nothing else mattered at the time."
Just dessert
In her hometown of Remsen, N.Y., Hamlin is a bit of a celebrity. The local ice cream shop, The Soda Fountain, immortalized Hamlin's recent success with the World Champion Erin Hamlin Sundae: Vanilla ice cream, mixed with with Reese's peanut butter cups, Oreos and hot fudge, and topped with whipped cream and a cherry. In an interview with The Associated Press, Hamlin was much appreciative of the delectable dessert. "It's very good," Hamlin mused. "I'm getting acknowledged for what I've done and what I've worked for. It's kind of refreshing. But if I never become famous for being a world champion luge athlete, is that going to bother me? Not completely, because I know what I've accomplished. And I want to accomplish more."
Personal
When Hamlin isn't focusing on luge, she enjoys soccer, kayaking, horseback riding, and biking. She plans to resume her studies at Empire State College in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. upon the conclusion of the 2010 Winter Games.
Home sweet Lake Placid
Erin Hamlin's 2009 world title came on the same Lake Placid track on which her luge career began. Her father's employer, Verizon, sponsors luge tryouts across the country, so it was natural for Hamlin, then 12, and her older brother, both of whom excelled in a variety of sports, to try out. Hamlin worked her way up through the developmental program, eventually living and training full-time in Lake Placid, faxing and emailing her schoolwork back to her high school. "When you first start, it's not as intense as it is when you see it in the Olympics," Hamlin explains. "And when you start, you want to start going faster because it's exciting, it's fun, and it's more of a challenge, and it satisfies you when you do well. By the time we're going 90 miles an hour, we've been doing it long enough and we kind of know what to do when we get into trouble so we can avoid getting seriously injured."
Surprise!
In the final event of the qualifying period for the U.S. team in 2006, Hamlin, then 19, finished fifth to earn a spot on the team. Neither she nor her Olympic Training Center roommate was expected to post top-five results in World Cup competition, but by doing so, they knocked 2002 Olympian Ashley Walden off the team. Hamlin surprised even herself by qualifying for the team and finishing 12th.
World champion
In February 2009, Hamlin's greatest achievement on the track yet came when she toppled the Germans during the World Championships in Lake Placid. Not only did she end Germany's 99-race winning streak, but Hamlin also became the first American women to win the coveted title. "Winning at Worlds was amazing," she says. "I needed to have two really good runs, and I did that. Getting over that hurdle for me was big -- to be consistent and perform under pressure. My whole family was there, so many friends were there, and to be able to finally win and to beat the Germans, you know, nothing else mattered at the time."
Just dessert
In her hometown of Remsen, N.Y., Hamlin is a bit of a celebrity. The local ice cream shop, The Soda Fountain, immortalized Hamlin's recent success with the World Champion Erin Hamlin Sundae: Vanilla ice cream, mixed with with Reese's peanut butter cups, Oreos and hot fudge, and topped with whipped cream and a cherry. In an interview with The Associated Press, Hamlin was much appreciative of the delectable dessert. "It's very good," Hamlin mused. "I'm getting acknowledged for what I've done and what I've worked for. It's kind of refreshing. But if I never become famous for being a world champion luge athlete, is that going to bother me? Not completely, because I know what I've accomplished. And I want to accomplish more."
Personal
When Hamlin isn't focusing on luge, she enjoys soccer, kayaking, horseback riding, and biking. She plans to resume her studies at Empire State College in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. upon the conclusion of the 2010 Winter Games.
