Tobogganing legend Georg Hackl is leaving Germany and will be joining forces with what was once his biggest competitor.

An offer from Austria convinced the three-time Olympic champion to try something new again.

In the future, Hackl will work as a trainer for the association in the neighboring country, which his former long-time rival Markus Prock leads as president.

"Together with my athletes, we rocked the toboggan world, but now it's time to go," Hackl told the Munich Merkur/tz media group on Tuesday.

"The offer was lucrative for me."

The daily newspapers "Österreich" and "Die Welt" had previously reported on corresponding discussions.

The 55-year-old has worked for the German association, which was so successful at the Olympics, for many years.

Prock approached him with an offer, Hackl explained, which made him very happy.

"Extremely painful"

The German association confirmed the departure.

"I spoke to him for a long time, but the offer was too attractive for him," said sports director Thomas Schwab of the Munich Merkur/tz media group and called Hackl a leading figure.

The three-time Olympic champion Felix Loch was surprised.

"Of course, it's extremely painful that Schorsch is leaving us after all the years we've been together," said Loch, who would have liked to have retired with Hackl.

“For me he was more than just a coach.

He has known me since I was little and we have celebrated outstanding successes together, going through all the ups and downs of my career together.”

In addition to the Olympic gold medals in 1992, 1994 and 1998 and two silver medals, Hackl, known as "Schorsch", won numerous world titles and a total of 33 World Cup races.

In November 2020 he was inducted into the Hall of Fame of German Sports.

According to media reports, he will be officially presented as part of the coaching team in Austria on Thursday.

A return to Germany is at least not impossible.

"He knows that our doors are open for him and that there would always be a place for him among our young athletes," said Schwab.

At the last winter games in China, the German luge team won all four competitions and won silver twice.