Willi Schneider

Romanian-born skeleton pilot Willi Schneider represented Germany at the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics and finished ninth. During the 1990s he was one of the world’s most successful skeleton pilots. In 1997, Schneider won his first World Cup races and was the overall World Cup winner in 1998. That same year he also won the World Championships and then added a bronze in 1999.

Domestically, Schneider won the German national title seven times in 1992, 1994-97, 2000, and 2003. He turned to coaching after his active career and became national chief coach in Canada until the 2010 Winter Olympics at Vancouver. He then took over as chief national coach in Russia until 2014. Schneider then held the same position in China until 2022, when he became Italy’s national coach.