Milan Cortina 2026 luge heats up with Olympic legends and rising stars
The stage is set for a competitive luge event at the Milan Cortina 2026 Olympics. Six nations—Germany, Austria, the U.S., Italy, Ukraine, and Latvia—have secured the majority of the 106 available spots. Among the qualifiers are returning medalists and fresh faces preparing for their Olympic debuts.
Controversy has also emerged, with Ukrainian athletes voicing concerns over the inclusion of Russian competitors as neutral participants.
Germany and Austria dominated the qualification process by filling the maximum number of athlete spots and sleds. Host nation Italy and the U.S. each secured 11 athletes and eight sleds, while Ukraine and Latvia earned 10 sliders and seven sleds between them. Together, these six countries claimed 66 of the 106 Olympic luge positions.
The U.S. team will feature Summer Britcher, Emily Fischnaller, and Ashley Farquharson in women’s singles, alongside Jonny Gustafson and Matthew Greiner in men’s singles. In doubles, Chevonne Forgan and Sophia Kirkby will make their Olympic debut in the women’s event. Their preparation includes recent World Cup races against Ukrainian opponents, who will also compete in Milan Cortina. Among the returning medalists are Austria’s Wolfgang Kindl, who won men’s singles silver in 2022, and Italy’s Dominik Fischnaller, a bronze medallist in the same event. Germany’s Tobias Wendl and Tobias Arlt, the reigning men’s doubles gold medallists, will defend their title, as will Toni Eggert (Germany) and Thomas Steu (Austria). Meanwhile, Russian lugers Roman Repilov and Daria Olesik have qualified as neutral athletes, sparking criticism from Ukrainian sliders and others.
The luge competition at the 2026 Olympics will showcase both seasoned champions and newcomers. With 66 of the 106 spots taken by six nations, the event promises intense rivalry. The inclusion of neutral Russian athletes adds a layer of debate, but the focus remains on the upcoming races.
