Germany’s Luge Team in Full Selection Mode
Five qualification races to decide the 2026/27 World Cup roster — no athlete guaranteed a spot
The German luge team has entered the post-Olympic season with a clear message from the coaching staff: nothing is given, everything must be earned. Over the past weeks, the squad traveled to Lillehammer, Norway, and Sigulda, Latvia, for the first two of five selection races that will determine who competes on the World Cup circuit in 2026/27. Three more rounds follow - in Oberhof on October 30, then Altenberg, and finally at the German Championships on the Königssee track on November 11, 2026.
The format marks a deliberate reset. Unlike in Olympic years, when established athletes carry their status into the new season, this cycle starts with a blank slate: every athlete - from seasoned World Cup regulars to emerging talents - must prove their form across all five qualifications.
Lillehammer: A Strong Opening
The series opened on October 9 at the well-known Lillehammer track in Norway. Conditions were excellent, and the results reflected it. In the men’s singles, Felix Loch, Timon Grancagnolo, and Max Langenhan - the Cortina Olympic champion - set the pace. In the women’s singles, Anka Jänicke, Anna Berreiter, and Julia Taubitz led the field.
In men’s doubles, the experienced pairing of Tobias Wendl and Tobias Arlt confirmed their status at the top, ahead of the young duos of Louis Grünbeck/Maximilian Kührt and Pascal Kunze/Valentin Steudte. Among the women’s doubles, the newly formed team of Melina Fischer and Magdalena Matschina turned heads with the fastest time, ahead of Elisa Storch and Pauline Patz. Jessica Degenhardt and Cheyenne Rosenthal were unable to participate due to illness.
Sigulda: The Field Tightens
The second qualification took place on October 21 on the technically demanding Sigulda track - a course that sorts experienced athletes from developing ones quickly. In the men’s singles, Max Langenhan took top honors ahead of Felix Loch, with David Nößler pushing into the top three. In the women’s singles, Julia Taubitz led the way, followed by Merle Fräbel and Anka Jänicke.
Wendl and Arlt were again the fastest men’s doubles team, with Hannes Orlamünder and Paul Gubitz moving ahead of Grünbeck/Kührt for second. In the women’s doubles, Degenhardt and Rosenthal - back after their Lillehammer absence - showed why experience on complex tracks matters, finishing ahead of Storch/Patz. Fischer and Matschina, impressive in Lillehammer, crashed in the final run.
The New Sled Factor
Underlying the entire selection process is a technical dimension that shapes every training session and every qualifying run: all athletes are now competing on the new unified sled introduced for the 2026 cycle. Adapting to different equipment mid-career is never straightforward, and head coach Patric Leitner was candid in his assessment:
“We have two of five selection races behind us. Lillehammer was very good - great track conditions, eight solid training runs at a high level. Sigulda was more demanding, especially for the younger athletes, because the track is very challenging. One key objective for our singles athletes is to master the transition to the new unified sled for 2026. Everyone has now raced it for two weeks - it takes time to adapt and recalibrate. We’re not there yet, but we’re on a good path. A big thank you to our technicians for the enormous amount of work they’re putting in.”
Leitner also flagged the gap that still separates the next generation from the established names: “It’s clear that the younger athletes still struggle to handle technically demanding tracks like Sigulda, and the margin to the established athletes is still too large. The focus now is on continuing to develop both their driving skills and their athleticism. Three qualification races remain - Oberhof, Altenberg, and the German Championships on the Königssee.”
Source: bsd-portal.de
