The world championship weekend for luge has arrived. Some eyes are already on the 2026 Olympics
The world championship weekend for luge has arrived. Some eyes are already on the 2026 Olympics
Luge’s most important weekend of the year got underway Thursday, with the world championships opening on the track in Whistler, Canada, that was used for the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.
It’s a big deal. It’s also a big reminder of what’s next.
For the Americans, the goal is to win medals this weekend — and they have realistic chances to do so in no fewer than three events. But it’s also clear that eyes and minds are starting to drift toward February 2026, when the next Olympic sliding races are held in either Italy (if a track gets built) or on USA Luge’s home track in Lake Placid, New York.
“The Olympics is my focus,” three-time women’s singles Olympic slider Summer Britcher said. “It has been my focus for a long time. But I don’t view it as a distraction from other races like world championships or World Cups. I view it as in collaboration with them. Every World Cup and world championships is an opportunity to see how things are trending, to work on our equipment, to work on racing well. And it’s all building towards the Olympics.”
As always, Germany is the nation to catch — 44 medals so far in World Cup races this season are the most of any nation, six more than an Austrian team that seems to be peaking at exactly the right time in the Olympic cycle. Latvia has 11 medals so far this season and the U.S. is fourth with nine.
The majority of the American medals this season have been claimed by the women’s doubles team of Chevonne Forgan and Sophia Kirkby — winners of four medals in doubles races and part of more medal performances in relays. At this rate, they seem like locks to make their Olympic debuts next winter.
On a team filled with Olympic veterans and proven sliders — Britcher and Emily Sweeney have been among the best in the women’s singles world for years, Tucker West has one of the fastest men’s starts on the circuit — Forgan and Kirkby are quickly proving themselves. They’re young and exuberant, which is clear from the glitter adorning their faces on race days and just how excited they get on the medal stand.
“It’s one of the most important things to make sure we’re still having fun,” Forgan said. “Obviously, this season has been our best season so far results-wise. We’ve kind of been having to remind ourselves, when it’s getting kind of tough and it’s getting kind of serious and we’re really pushing, that we are having fun and we love what we do. And I think that really carries us through a lot of the difficulties that come with being on the road so much and how intense the competition can get.”
The world championship mixed doubles and mixed singles races took place on Thursday (the U.S. grabbed one of the six available medals), with three competitions — men’s doubles, women’s doubles and women’s singles — on Friday. The championships close on Saturday with men’s singles and the team relay.
The relay is fast becoming a favorite for the U.S. squad, since it brings men’s singles, women’s singles, women’s doubles and men’s doubles sleds together in the same event.
“From Day 1, Team USA is drilled into you and we are Team USA at our core,” Sweeney said. “And the way that we come together during relays is something that’s pretty special.”
Mixed singles
Germany grabbed the first gold of the world championships, with Max Langenhan and Julia Taubitz edging Sweeney and Johnny Gustafson of the U.S. by about one-tenth of a second.
The Austrian team of David Gleirscher and Madeleine Egle took the bronze.
Mixed doubles
Austria won gold in mixed doubles, with Thomas Steu and Wolfgang Kindl on the men’s sled and Selina Egle and Lara Kipp on the women’s sled.
Germany took second and third. The silver went to Hannes Orlamuender-Paul Gubitz with Dajana Eitberger-Magadalena Matschina. The bronze was claimed by Tobias Wendl-Tobias Arlt with Jessica Degenhardt-Cheyenne Rosenthal.
The U.S. was fourth: Zach DiGregorio and Sean Hollander for the men, Forgan and Kirkby for the women.
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AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports
By TIM REYNOLDS
AP Sports Writer
