600 Runs: Mammoth Programme in Umhausen

FIL Alpine Luge World Cup, Eliminator and FIL Youth Games from Friday to Sunday

Three races in 48 hours: the coming weekend promises a huge luge festival in Umhausen (AUT). It begins with the FIL Alpine Luge World Cup, followed by the Eliminator and the FIL Youth Games in alternation.

View from the finish turn to the Grantau-Arena

Umhausen (FIL / 04.02.2026) – The 955-metre natural luge track “Grantau” in Umhausen has already seen many great moments: from the gold medal won by local hero Gerald Kammerlander at the 2011 World Championships, to the unforgettable World Cup final in 2017 with Greta Pinggera and Evelin Lanthaler (both ITA) finishing level on points, and Thomas Kammerlander’s gold medal at his home World Championships in 2021. However, even the legendary “Grantau” has never experienced a race programme like the one coming up this weekend, featuring the World Cup, Eliminator and Youth Games all in one.

After training on Friday morning, racing begins in the early afternoon with the women’s and men’s singles World Cup events, followed by the doubles in the early evening. Last year, Matthias Lambacher/Peter Lambacher (ITA) won the World Cup doubles, while Tobias Paur/Andreas Hofer (ITA) celebrated their first victory in the Eliminator.

On Saturday, the final runs in women’s and men’s singles take place first, followed immediately by the Eliminator, starting with the round of 32 in singles, and then the doubles compete in the knockout races. Sunday morning is dedicated to the round of 16 and quarter-finals in singles (women and men), before the four best athletes fight for victory in the finals in the early afternoon. One of the highlights last year was Switzerland’s first-ever victory, achieved by Stefan Federer in the Eliminator.

FIL Youth Games on the World Cup stage

The FIL Youth Games are the world’s largest luge event for young athletes in age groups 1–4 (eight to 14 years). On Saturday afternoon (after the Eliminator doubles), the two training runs will take place, and in the evening the 2026 Youth Games will be officially opened at the Pavilion in Umhausen village centre, together with the award ceremonies for the women’s and men’s singles (World Cup) and doubles (Eliminator).On Sunday, the young athletes will complete their two competition runs between the Eliminator heats, with all winners being decided in the afternoon.

“It is an ambitious programme, but we see it as a unique opportunity to bring the youngest luge athletes together with the best in the world. The World Cup and Eliminator will be broadcast via livestream, so for the first time we will also be showing the FIL Youth Games. Roughly speaking, we are expecting around 600 runs in 48 hours,” says Thomas Kammerlander, Chairman of the Organising Committee in Umhausen.

The races on Saturday and Sunday in Umhausen will be broadcast via livestream on the website of the International Luge Federation (FIL) at www.fil-luge.org.

Programme (FIL World Cup and Eliminator)
Friday, 6 February
09:00 – Nations training, women’s and men’s singles
11:00 – Nations training, women’s and men’s singles
13:30 – 1st race run, women’s singles
14:15 – 1st race run, men’s singles
15:45 – Nations training, doubles
16:45 – Race run, doubles, followed by flower ceremony and award ceremony

Saturday, 7 February
09:00 – Final run, women’s singles, followed by flower ceremony
09:45 – Final run, men’s singles, followed by flower ceremony
10:45 – Round of 32, Eliminator women’s singles
11:30 – Round of 32, Eliminator men’s singles
12:45 – Quarter-finals, Eliminator doubles
13:30 – Final, Eliminator doubles, followed by flower ceremony
19:00 – Award ceremony at Pavilion Umhausen

Sunday, 8 February
08:45 – Round of 16, Eliminator women’s singles
09:15 – Round of 16, Eliminator men’s singles
11:00 – Quarter-finals, Eliminator women’s singles
11:30 – Quarter-finals, Eliminator men’s singles
13:15 – Final, Eliminator women’s singles, followed by flower ceremony
13:45 – Final, Eliminator men’s singles, followed by flower ceremony
16:30 – Award ceremony in the Grantau finish area

Programme (FIL Youth Games)
Saturday, 7 February
14:00 – 1st training run
16:30 – 2nd training run
19:00 – Opening of the FIL Youth Games 2026 at Pavilion Umhausen

Sunday, 8 February
10:00 – 1st race run, Youth 1 and 2
12:00 – 1st race run, Youth 3 and 4
14:00 – 2nd race run, Youth 1 to 4
16:30 – Award ceremony in the Grantau finish area