Eugenio Monti

Eugenio Monti (23 January 1928 – 1 December 2003) was an Italian bobsleigher and alpine skier. He is one of the most successful athletes in the history of the bobsleigh, with ten World championship medals (of which nine gold) and 6 Olympic medals including two golds. He is known also for his acts of sportsmanship during the 1964 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck, Austria, which made him the first athlete ever to receive the Pierre de Coubertin World Trophy.

Biography Born in Toblach, Italy, The Flying Redhead was the best Italian young skier: he won the national titles in slalom and giant slalom, and finished third in downhill, but a 1951 accident stopped his alpine skiing career when he tore ligaments in both of his knees. Monti switched to bobsleigh, finding great success as a result. In 1954 he won his first Italian championship and in 1957 won his first world championship.

At the 1956 Winter Olympics in Cortina d'Ampezzo, he won silver medals in the 2-man and 4-man bobsled events. He could not compete in the 1960 Winter Olympics in Squaw Valley, California, because the bobsleigh race was not held for economic reasons (for the only time in the history of the Winter Olympic Games).

Finally, at the 1968 Winter Olympics in Grenoble, France, a 40-year-old Monti won a gold in both the two-man and four-man events (the first non-German to do so). After his victory, he received Italy's highest civilian honour – the Commendatore of the Italian Republic and then retired to labour in his skiing facilities in Cortina.

Turn 19 at Cesana Pariol, the site of the 2006 Winter Olympic bobsled, luge, and skeleton competitions, was named for Monti. The bobsleigh track that Monti competed on for years in Cortina and is slated for the 2026 Winter Olympics was renamed in his honour following his 2003 death.

Achievements

Bobsleigh Olympic Games Gold medal in the two-man at the 1968 Winter Olympics Gold medal in the four-man at the 1968 Winter Olympics Silver medal in the two-man at the 1956 Winter Olympics Silver medal in the four-man at the 1956 Winter Olympics Bronze medal in the two-man at the 1964 Winter Olympics Bronze medal in the four-man at the 1964 Winter Olympics

World Championships Gold medal in the two-man in 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1963, 1966 Gold medal in the four-man in 1960, 1961 Silver medal in the four-man in 1957

Alpine skiing National titles Monti has won three national titles.

Italian Alpine Ski Championships Slalom: 1949, 1950 (2) Giant slalom: 1950 (1)