LUGE
Italy’s luge team can once again celebrate an Olympic podium at the Cortina Sliding Centre. On the track named in memory of Olympic champion Eugenio Monti (gold medallist in both the two-man and four-man bobsleigh at Grenoble 1968), three days after Dominik Fischnaller claimed bronze in the men’s singles, the pairing of Andrea Voetter and Marion Oberhofer (under the watchful eye of CONI President Luciano Buonfiglio) achieved a remarkable feat, capturing gold in the women’s doubles — a discipline making its historic debut in the Winter Olympic programme.
It was a moment of apotheosis for the Azzurri, who returned to dominate the Olympic stage 20 years after the ‘Cannibal’ Armin Zoeggeler (now technical director of the Italian team) secured the second of his two Olympic titles at Torino 2006 Winter Olympics. At Milano Cortina 2026, Italy’s gold tally has now risen to three, following victories by speed skater Francesca Lollobrigida in the 3,000 metres and the Italian short track quartet in the 2,000-metre mixed relay.
Voetter and Oberhofer (photo Giuseppe Giugliano/CONI), after encouraging signs across six official training runs, lived up to expectations when it mattered most. The two-time World Cup winners in the discipline (2023 and 2024) led after the opening run by just 22 thousandths ahead of the formidable German duo Dajana Eitberger and Magdalena Matschina. In the final descent, the well-drilled Italian tandem successfully defended their lead, sealing victory with a combined time of 1:46.284. The German pair (+0.120) had to settle for silver, while Austria’s Selina Egle and Lara Michaela Kipp claimed bronze (+0.259).
