Erin Hamlin

Anne Delaney, Observer-Dispatch

Luger Erin Hamlin's life has changed. A World Championship will do that.

She raised the profile of the sport and her herself with a surprising victory last February in Lake Placid.

Now, it's six months to Vancouver.

Midway between her biggest career victory and the sport's biggest stage, Hamlin is maintaining her focus on becoming a better luger. Instead of taking time off after the season,

Hamlin stayed at the United States Olympic Training Center here through the spring and summer.

Hamlin's existence, at times lonely in the Biosphere 2-like atmosphere of the training center, is something she endures to be ready for the start of the World Cup season in November.

She says she is not ready to think about Whistler, the ski resort town north of Vancouver where the luge competition will be in February.

“For sure, the races before that are definitely in the front of my mind because I need them to make the Olympic team,” Hamlin said. “Really, I'm focusing on the races that happen first, but in the long run I'm focusing on them to do well so I can be in the Olympics.” (read more)

Maria Cruz Garcia, Erin Hamlin, Chellsie Memmel, Shannon Miller, Michelle Roark, Angela Ruggiero, and Ashley Wagner have joined the roster of stars at Great Friends Greetings!

Great Friends Greetings is a totally unique gift idea.  Great Friends Greetings sells custom printed premium quality greeting cards that make great gifts and feature well-known sports, music, TV and movie stars.

Great Friends Greetings’ unique greeting card, containing a message designed and personalized by the customer, appears to the recipient to come directly from the athlete.  They have a spectacular photo printed in front and a customer composed message inside. The cards are signed with the celebrity’s actual signature image. (read more)

AthleticWomen.com Blog

According to the National Headache Foundation (NHF), migraines affect women approximately three times more often than men. Of course, athletic women are not exempted, and 2009 Women's Luge World Champion Erin Hamlin has suffered her fair share. Fittingly, Erin recently became a spokesperson for NHF: (read more)

  THE SPECIAL EDITION OF THE MIKE MARTIN TALK SHOW US OLYMPICS EPISODE Friday, July 31, 2009 Featuring Shade Global Winter Athletes, Angela Ruggiero, Erin Hamlin, Michelle Roark, Maria Garcia & 2008 Olympic Gymnast Chellsie Memmel The Mike Martin Show Date / Time: 7/31/2009 5:00-6:30pm EST Call-in Number: (347) 637-3716 Tune in at: www.blogtalkradio.com/mikemartintalkshow Call in with comments & questions for these outstanding American heroes! This episode of the Mike Martin Talk Show is jam-packed with Olympic athlete interviews and Olympic talk, including: 3-Time Ice Hockey Olympic Medalist & World Champion- Angela Ruggiero; 2009 Luge World Champion & Olympian- Erin Hamlin, 2008 Olympic Gymnastics Silver Medalist & 2005 All-Around World Champion- Chellsie Memmel; World Cup, National Champion & Olympic Skier- Michelle Roark; and American Record Holder & Olympic Speedskater Maria Cruz Garcia! (read more)

The Saturday Evening Post

Headaches are often a nuisance—and occasionally a nightmare.  The NHF is launching a new series of resources on their Web site. The first one, Chart Your Course to Relief, is an interactive tool designed to quickly connect people to the specific information they need and in a way that is not overwhelming, according to Suzanne Simons, executive director of the NHF.

World champion luger Erin Hamlin knows firsthand the life-altering effects of headaches. Despite suffering a debilitating migraine on the day before the 2009 Luge World Championship in Lake Placid, New York, Hamlin went on to win gold, becoming the first U.S. woman to win the World Championship title. She has since learned about NHF resources and is committed to not only getting relief, but also to helping others as a spokesperson for the organization.

“I want to feel like I have some control over my headaches,” Hamlin says. “With my travel and training schedule, I can’t afford to be down. I owe it to my country, teammates, fans, and family to be at the top of my game, and learning more about my headache patterns with these NHF tools is helping me—and others—achieve that.”

Hamlin, age 22, will now carry the title of World Champion to the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. (read more)