# Kurt Meier

**Kurt Meier** (born 1962) is a Swiss former bobsledder who won gold in the four-man event at the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary and silver in the same event at the 1994 Winter Olympics in [Lillehammer](https://www.edgepedia.org/lillehammer), competing for Switzerland.<sup>[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/95354)</sup>

| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1962 (6 April per Olympedia); 181 cm, 97 kg<sup>[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/95354)</sup> |
| Club | Bob-Club Zürichsee, Zürich, Switzerland<sup>[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/95354)</sup> |
| Olympic medals | Four-man gold 1988 (Calgary), silver 1994 (Lillehammer)<sup>[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/95354)</sup> |
| 1988 winning time | 3:47.51, 0.07 seconds ahead of East Germany I<sup>[2](https://www.olympedia.org/results/396)</sup> |
| World titles | Four-man gold at Königssee 1986 and Igls 1993<sup>[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/95354)</sup> |
| European titles | Four-man gold 1986 (Igls) and 1993 (St. Moritz), bronze 1987 (Cervinia)<sup>[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/95354)</sup> |
| Olympic team | Switzerland 1 four-man crew, 1988 and 1994<sup>[3](https://www.olympedia.org/countries/SUI/sports/BOB.3)</sup> |

## Early career and the 1986 titles

Meier joined the Swiss national team in 1980, but he first drew international attention in the mid-1980s. In 1986 he won the four-man event at the World Championships in Königssee alongside Erwin Fassbind, Erich Schärer, and the non-Olympian André Kisser, and he also took the European title at Igls, with Hans Hiltebrand replacing Schärer in that crew.<sup>[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/95354)</sup>

In 1987 Meier joined [Ekkehard Fasser](https://www.edgepedia.org/ekkehard-fasser), Werner Stocker, and Rolf Strittmatter in a four-man crew that finished third at the European Championships in Cervinia.<sup>[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/95354)</sup>

## Olympic gold at Calgary 1988

The 1987 quartet replaced Strittmatter with [Marcel Fässler](https://www.edgepedia.org/marcel-fassler) and went to the 1988 Winter Olympics as Switzerland 1 in the four-man event, held at [Canada Olympic Park](https://www.edgepedia.org/canada-olympic-park) on 27 and 28 February 1988 over four runs.<sup>[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/95354)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[2](https://www.olympedia.org/results/396)</sup> Expectations before the race favored [Wolfgang Hoppe](https://www.edgepedia.org/wolfgang-hoppe)'s East Germany I, which led comfortably at the halfway point.<sup>[2](https://www.olympedia.org/results/396)</sup> On the third run Hoppe's crew faltered and finished halfway down the field, while the Swiss, driven by the veteran Ekkehard Fasser, set the fastest time of the competition and moved from a distant third into a clear lead.<sup>[2](https://www.olympedia.org/results/396)</sup> Switzerland 1 won in 3:47.51, with East Germany I taking silver 0.07 seconds behind and Soviet Union 2 the bronze.<sup>[2](https://www.olympedia.org/results/396)</sup> It was the final event of Fasser's career.<sup>[2](https://www.olympedia.org/results/396)</sup>

## Return and Lillehammer silver

International success then eluded Meier for several years. He returned in 1993 as part of [Gustav Weder](https://www.edgepedia.org/gustav-weder)'s crew, winning the four-man at both the European Championships in [St. Moritz](https://www.edgepedia.org/st-moritz) and the World Championships in Igls alongside [Donat Acklin](https://www.edgepedia.org/donat-acklin), Domenico Semeraro, and Weder.<sup>[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/95354)</sup>

The same quartet competed at the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, where Switzerland 1 took silver in the four-man, 0.06 seconds behind the gold medal-winning German crew.<sup>[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/95354)</sup> Meier retired from active competition shortly after those Games.<sup>[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/95354)</sup>

## References

1. [Kurt Meier, Olympedia](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/95354)
2. [Four, Men, Calgary 1988, Olympedia](https://www.olympedia.org/results/396)
3. [Switzerland in Bobsleigh, Olympedia](https://www.olympedia.org/countries/SUI/sports/BOB.3)

---
*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Individual sports and outdoor recreation › Winter and ice sports › Sliding sports › Bobsleigh › Bobsledders › Swiss bobsledders*

*Initially written Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 25, 2026*

*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*

License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license