Olympic Sports: Luge

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Anne Abernathy of the Virgin Islands slides down the luge track during an Olympic Luge practice run in Cesana Pariol, Italy Friday, Feb. 10, 2006 . (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Name: Anne Abernathy
Home Country: Virgin Islands
Birthdate: April 12, 1953
Height: 5'5"
Weight: 159 lbs
Age: 52

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CESANE, Italy - Anne Abernathy, the 52-year-old slider known as "Grandma Luge," will be sporting a new look for her sixth Olympics.

Abernathy, who has represented the U.S. Virgin Islands at the Olympics since 1988, plans to don a lime-green racing suit and a cherry-red helmet for Monday's start of the women's competition.

It's not meant as a fashion statement.

"I kind of look like a Christmas tree," she said Friday at Cesane. "The red helmet is in honor of women over 50 ... that we can go out and do what we want to do. It's a big deal for a lot of women that someone over 50 is going out there and doing it."

Abernathy said her e-mail inbox has been flooded by goodwill messages — and even one-time antagonist Georg Hackl of Germany has come around to her side.

When Hackl, a five-time Olympic luge medalist and three-time gold medal-winner, first met Abernathy at the Calgary Games in '88, Abernathy said he told her that at 34 she was "too old" for the event.

She repaid the compliment when Hackl showed up to compete at Salt Lake City four years ago — at age 35.

Hackl, who says he is retiring after these games, has promised to buy Abernathy a beer in Turin.

"Georg and I have been friends a long time," she said. "If he goes to Vancouver (in 2010), I'll think about it."

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AP Photo: Anne Abernathy, from the Virgin Islands, is shown competing in the women's singles of the European Luge Championships at Winterberg, Germany, in this Jan. 21, 2006 photo. Abernathy, the 52-year-old slider known as 'Grandma Luge,' broke her right wrist during a crash in practice in Cesana, Italy Sunday, Feb. 12, 2006 and may not compete in the Turin Games. (AP Photo/Herbert Knosowski)

'Grandma Luge' Breaks Wrist in Crash
Date: Sun Feb 12, 1:36 PM ET

CESANA, Italy - Anne Abernathy, the 52-year-old slider known as "Grandma Luge," broke her right wrist during a crash in practice Sunday and may not compete in the Turin Games.

Abernathy was injured during a morning training session when she wrecked between turns 16 and 17 and was taken to a hospital. Melita Glanville, the trainer who has worked with Abernathy for six years, said she will be evaluated on Monday before the first two runs of women's luge.

"Even if you have a little doubt, if someone is not on top of their game and they are going to fly down the track at 90 mph, you have to be pretty sure they are OK," Glanville said.

The runners on Abernathy's sled also sustained serious damage in the wreck on the speedy 19-curve track at Cesana, which has thwarted several sliders in recent days.

Abernathy made her Olympic debut for the U.S. Virgin Islands in 1988 at Calgary. Although she has never been a serious medal threat, Abernathy, a cancer survivor, is popular with the sport's fans and her fellow athletes.

At these games, Abernathy is wearing a green racing suit and a red helmet.

"I kind of look like a Christmas tree," she said following a practice run on Friday. "The red helmet is in honor of women over 50 ... that we can go out and do what we want to do. It's a big deal for a lot of women that someone over 50 is going out there and doing it."