Winkler also won three medals at the FIL World Luge Championships with a silver (singles: 1978) and two bronzes (singles: 1977, doubles: 1979). Additionally, he won a gold medal in the men's singles event at the 1977 FIL European Luge Championships in Königssee, West Germany. Winkler was the first men's singles Luge World Cup overall champion in 1977-78.