FIL European Luge Natural Track Championships 1997
The 17th FIL Luge Natural Track Championship took place from January 31 to February 2, 1997 in the Italian moss in pass eggs instead.
Single Seater Men
The 19 -year-old Reinhard Gruber from Italy was European champion in the men's single-seater. He won the race ahead of his compatriot and defending champion Manfred graves. Third was the reigning world champion Gerhard Pilz from Austria.
Single Seater Ladies
For the first time in the history of natural track luge European championship title in the women's single-seaters did not go to a luge athlete from Italy or Austria. The 26- year-old Russian Lyubov Panjutina that already and was 1992 World Champion at the last European Championships Second, won the gold medal. Silver went to the Austrian Elvira woodcutter who had finished the last two European Championships in third place and had already won two world championships. The bronze medal won the Italian Sonja Steinacher, for it was the first medal at championships.
Two-seater
The Austrian Helmut and Andi Ruetz became the second consecutive European Champion in doubles. The silver medal won by the Italians Psenner Martin and Christian Hafner. Psenner had been with Arthur Künig already at the last European Championship runner-up, Hafner was then finished third in collaboration with Jürgen Pezzi. The bronze medal won by the reigning World Champion Reinhard Beer and Herbert Kögl from Austria.