Benjamin Maier swaps sled for strategy as Austria’s bob chief
Former Olympic fifth in the two‑man event at the 2022 Beijing Winter Games, 32‑year‑old Tyrolean Benjamin Maier now assumes overall coordination as the new bob national team coach for the Austrian Bobsleigh Federation, bringing his experience as a three‑time Olympic participant and 2021 vice world champion in the four‑man discipline.
From athlete to coordinator
Maier’s competitive résumé includes three Olympic appearances and a fifth‑place finish in the two‑man competition at Beijing 2022. He also secured a vice world champion title in the four‑man event in 2021. These results underline his deep familiarity with the sport’s highest levels.
After ending his racing career in 2022, Maier moved into coaching, serving at the 2024 Olympic Youth Winter Games and later as assistant coach for the 2026 Milan‑Cortina Winter Games. His involvement in the track inspection alongside Markus Treichl at the Milan‑Cortina venue highlighted his technical expertise.
The Austrian Bobsleigh Federation (ÖBSV) announced Maier’s appointment as the bob national team coach, entrusting him with the overall coordination of the program. At 32, he will not be “thrown into cold water,” he said, emphasizing his familiarity with the athletes and coaches from his own active years.
“What is especially attractive for me: I know the athletes and many coaches from my own active time. In the federation there is a huge amount of experience that I can draw on. I will not be thrown into cold water,” Maier explained.
Support network and future plan
ÖBSV president Gerhard Rainer praised the appointment, calling Maier “the ideal person to bring the existing expertise together and develop the bob sport long term.” Rainer added that the federation intends to utilise all available resources. The federation’s operations are overseen without fee by Michael Meindl of the Olympic Committee.
Maier will be supported on the Königssee track by Franz Josef Hofmann and on the Cortina track by Leonhard Sanktjohanser, with sport scientist Walter Hable joining the staff. The specialists are expected to take defined tasks at each location, allowing Maier to focus on strategic direction.
Outside his professional duties, Maier is a father of two and is in the fifth year of his medical studies. He does not need to be present at every World Cup station, and the overall programme is aimed at 2030 and beyond, reflecting a long‑term vision for Austrian bob sport.