Alex Ferlazzo — The Olympic Luger from Down Under

Cortina (FIL/28 Nov 2025) Australia is famous for surf beaches, blazing sunshine and summer sports dominance — not for icy tracks and sleds that rocket downhill at 140 km/h. Yet from the tropical city of Townsville in northern Queensland has emerged a remarkable winter athlete who has rewritten what is possible: Alex Ferlazzo, the pioneer of Australian Olympic luge.

From the Tropics to the Ice

Growing up thousands of kilometres from the nearest snowfields — and in a country without a single luge track — Ferlazzo’s journey reads like an unlikely sporting fairytale. With no ice to train on, he first honed his skills on wheels, practicing on local roads to mimic the feeling of racing down an ice track. Determined to pursue the sport at the highest level, he eventually split his time between Park City, Utah, where he trained on ice during the northern winter, and Townsville, where he continued to practise on the road. This unusual training cycle, built around unwavering commitment, began to pay off quickly.

Olympic Beginnings

At just 18 years old, Ferlazzo made his Olympic debut at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games, becoming one of the youngest lugers in the field. He finished 33rd — a strong start in a discipline long dominated by European and North American athletes with far greater access to ice tracks and winter sports systems.

Four years later, at the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018, Ferlazzo returned to the start line stronger, more experienced and more confident. He improved his ranking to 28th place, a sign of his growing consistency and steady climb in the international field.

Historic Breakthrough

The true breakthrough came at the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games, where Ferlazzo wrote history. Competing at his third Games, he became the first Australian luger ever to reach that milestone. Even more impressively, he finished 16th, the best result by any luger from Oceania in Olympic history. With this achievement, he firmly established himself as one of the most successful sliding athletes the Southern Hemisphere has ever produced and proved that athletes from tropical regions can take on the world’s icy elite.

Looking Toward Milano-Cortina 2026

Now 30 years old, Ferlazzo is preparing for what would be his fourth Olympic appearance at the Milano-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games. If he qualifies, he will become the first athlete to represent Australia in luge at four Olympic Winter Games. His journey reflects not only sporting excellence but also a unique perseverance; every step of his career has required determination, creativity and a deep passion for the sport.

Townsville may be best known for its coral reefs and tropical humidity, but it remains the place where Ferlazzo still trains whenever he is home, rolling down quiet local roads when he is not based in North America or Europe. His path continues to inspire nations without winter traditions, athletes who must take unconventional routes, and anyone willing to chase a dream against the odds.

From the sun-soaked streets of Queensland to the icy curves of the world’s fastest tracks, Alex Ferlazzo’s Olympic story is one of the most unique in sliding sports. And with another Winter Games on the horizon, the Olympic luger from Down Under is far from finished — the world will be watching.