Italian lugers impress at Nations Cup in Oberhof
Sandra Robatscher, Fischnaller, Vötter/Oberhofer, and Rieder/Kainzwaldner win Nations Cup in Oberhof
Oberhof (FIL/ 22 Jan 2026) Italy's lugers took a week off from the World Cup to prepare for the Winter Olympics at home and had to confirm their qualification for the 7th EBERSPÄCHER World Cup via the Nations Cup on Thursday, January 22. The Azzurri team did so in impressive style in Oberhof. Sandra Robatscher, Dominik Fischnaller, Andrea Vötter / Marion Oberhofer, and Emanuel Rieder / Simon Kainzwaldner were the fastest in the seventh of nine FIL Nations Cups of the Olympic season at the LOTTO Thüringen EisArena on Friday, January 24, 2025.
At the seventh of a total of nine FIL Nations Cups on January 22, 2026, at the LOTTO Thüringen EisArena Oberhof, the men's singles event was characterized by razor-thin margins and top international performances.
The victory went to Dominik Fischnaller (ITA). The Olympic bronze medalist from Beijing 2022 had to compete in the Nations Cup as a World Cup qualifying race because he had not started in Oberhof the previous week. With a time of 42.772 seconds, the Italian narrowly prevailed.
Just nine thousandths of a second behind (+0.009), Matvei Perestoronin (AIN) took second place. Third place went to Leon Felderer (+0.095). Fischnaller had been in Cortina d'Ampezzo with his team last week to prepare for the Olympics.
The Nations Cup was also extremely close in the women's singles. Sandra Robatscher (ITA) secured victory with a time of 41.853 seconds. Caitlin Nash (CAN) took second place, just 0.023 seconds behind. Nash was in the lead until the last intermediate time.
Third place went to Melina Fischer (+0.098), who had won the 6th Nations Cup in Oberhof the week before. In the men's doubles, last week's winners, Moritz Jäger/Valentin Steudte, were unable to repeat their home victory.
The victory went to Italians Emanuel Rieder and Simon Kainzwaldner in 41.451 seconds. Second place went to local heroes Jäger/Steudte from Thuringia, while third place went to U23 European champions Christian Bosman and Bruno Mick, who finished 0.405 seconds behind. The two young Slovaks had won the U23 title the previous week in Oberhof.
The Italian pair Andrea Vötter / Marion Oberhofer dominated the women's doubles, winning in 42.201 seconds. Second place went to the Canadians Beattie Podulsky / Kailey Allan (+0.440). Third place went to Nadia Falkensteiner / Annalena Huber (ITA), 0.813 seconds behind.
The Nations Cup serves as a qualifying race for the World Cup. In the singles, the 18 fastest sleds qualify for the World Cup, while twelve athletes from the seeded group are already pre-qualified and do not have to compete. In the doubles, all Nations Cup starters qualify.
The 7th FIL Nations Cup was the last before the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan Cortina, which begin on February 6.
Link to the live TV broadcast and results of the 7th EBERSPÄCHER World Cup: fil-luge.org/de/ergebnisse/eberspaecher-weltcup-51
Link to the results of the Mixed Event European Championships on Saturday, January 24, 2026, in Oberhof: fil-luge.org/de/ergebnisse/eberspaecher-mixed-weltcup-presented-by-skechers-2025-2026-id-2581
Schedule & TV broadcasts
7th EBERSPÄCHER Luge World Cup, Oberhof 2 (GER) &
1st Mixed Event European Championships
Local start time (=CET/MEZ)
Friday, January 23, 2026
10:05 a.m. Men's Singles, 1st Run
11:30 a.m. Women's Singles, 1st Run
12:55 p.m. Men's Singles, 2nd Run
2:20 p.m. Women's Singles, 2nd Run
Saturday, January 24, 2026
9:20 a.m. Women's Doubles, 1st Run
10:15 a.m. Women's Doubles, 2nd Run
11:10 a.m. Men's Doubles, 1st Run
12:25 p.m. Men's Doubles, 2nd Run
1:40 p.m. Mixed Singles
3:10 p.m. Mixed Doubles
All information is subject to change!
