Countdown to the 2026 Alpine Luge European Championships Underway
Laas/Lasa (ITA) to Host the European Championships for the Second Time
The 850-metre-long natural luge track “Gafair”, located on the edge of the Stelvio National Park, last hosted the European Championships in February 2022. Four years later, the 31st FIL Alpine Luge European Championships will once again be contested for gold, silver and bronze from 23 to 25 January 2026.
The home straight on the "Gafair" track
Laas/Lasa (FIL/21 January 2026) – On Tuesday, race director Günther Staffler answered the obligatory question about the condition of the track with a relaxed “all good”, despite temperatures remaining above freezing almost continuously over the past weekend. A total of four medal events are on the programme: women’s singles, men’s singles, doubles and the team competition.
Of the reigning champions from Jaufental/Val di Giovo 2024, only the doubles Maximilian Pichler/Nico Edlinger (AUT) are still active. Evelin Lanthaler and Patrick Pigneter (both ITA) have since retired from competicions. Lanthaler/Pigneter also secured European Championship gold in the team competition in 2024.
Large Field of Medal Contenders
The generational change that took place before the start of the 2025/2026 season makes predictions extremely difficult, with a very wide field of medal contenders. In the men’s singles alone, the first three races of the season saw three different winners: Daniel Gruber (ITA) in Winterleiten 1, Fabian Achenrainer (AUT) jointly with Alex Oberhofer (ITA) in Winterleiten 2, and Hannes Unterholzner (ITA) in Passeiertal. Only Gruber managed to stand on the top step of the podium twice due to his victory in Deutschnofen/Nova Ponente (ITA).
In the women’s singles, Riccarda Ruetz (AUT) is considered the leading gold favourite with three victories so far this season. Local favourite Nadine Staffler (ITA) has also recorded a season win and stood on the podium at last year’s World Cup on her home track.
In the doubles event, a three-way battle between defending champions Pichler/Edlinger, reigning World Champions Matthias Lambacher/Peter Lambacher (ITA), and Tobias Paur/Andreas Hofer (ITA) ist expected.
Look in the history book
The most successful athletes in the history of the European Championships (held since 1970 in Kapfenberg) are Evelin Lanthaler (ITA) and Ekaterina Lavrenteva (RUS) in women’s singles with five gold medals each, Patrick Pigneter (ITA) with four gold medals in men’s singles, and Pavel Porshnev/Ivan Lazarev (RUS), who top the all-time rankings in doubles with five gold medals. Italy is the most successful nation overall with 42 gold medals, ahead of Austria (33), Russia (7) and Poland (1).
Programme
Friday, 23 January 2026
6.30 pm: Technical meeting
7.00 pm: Team captains’ meeting
Saturday, 24 January 2026
9.00 am: Nation training – women’s singles / men’s singles
10.30 am: Nation training – women’s singles / men’s singles
12.00 pm: Nation training – doubles
1.00 pm: Nation training – doubles
6.00 pm: Luge Mass with blessing of the athletes, opening ceremony on the village square
Sunday, 25 January 2026
9.30 am: Competition run – doubles
9.45 am: 1st competition run – women’s singles
10.15 am: 1st competition run – men’s singles
11.00 am: Final run – women’s singles, followed by flower ceremony
11.45 am: Final run – men’s singles, followed by flower ceremony
1.00 pm: Team competition, followed by prize-giving ceremonies
