Norbert Huber – A South Tyrolean leads China to Cortina

Berchtesgaden (FIL/05 Sep 2025) When the Winter Olympics open in Milano-Cortina on February 6, 2026, it will be a home game for Norbert Huber – even though he has long been serving another nation. The 60-year-old South Tyrolean from Mühlwald has been head coach of the Chinese national luge team for four years. For him and his team, it will be the culmination of a long journey full of groundwork, training, and development.

A legend on the sled

Huber himself is one of the defining figures in international luge. He is one of the few athletes in history to have won major titles in both the singles and doubles events. He secured the overall World Cup title in the singles three times in a row between 1985 and 1987, became world champion in the doubles with Hansjörg Raffl in 1990, and won Olympic silver in Lillehammer in 1994. Today, he lives in Mühlwald—just 80 kilometers from the new Olympic track in Cortina d'Ampezzo, where he now wants to lead his Chinese athletes to success.

Development work in China

For four years, Huber has been shaping the young Chinese team, which has only been able to compete at international level for a few years. “We had good summer training and also did a lot of start training. We want to be faster at the start next winter,” he explains. He is supported by a large coaching staff with Chinese colleagues and European experts such as Robert Taleanu (Romania) and Wolfgang Schädler (Liechtenstein). “I make the sleds and we will have new runners in the Olympic season. I hope they will be very fast. Robert Taleanu and I are working together on all the details of the sled.”

From Yanqing to Cortina

Preparation for the Olympic season begins in October 2025 on home ice in Yanqing (China), the 2022 Olympic track. The team will then travel to Cortina for the International Training Week – the first official opportunity to race on the new track. “I've already had a good look at the new Olympic track. It's very interesting. We have to try to show stable performances in preparation and also in the races,” says Huber. Stability has been a problem in recent years – and that's exactly what he has been working on with his team.

Progress and new strength

“Some athletes have made good progress,” says Huber. He knows that Cortina will be a big challenge, but also an opportunity: “I think our doubles can achieve good placings, but the singles will also be stronger next year.” Especially with regard to the Winter Olympics, it is important to give the athletes not only technical strength but also mental confidence. “We weren't good in the mental area, so we worked a lot with our athletes on that this summer.”

Young team with ambitions

Team China is young and in transition, but motivation is high. “The mood is good, everyone is well, and I hope that we will arrive at the Olympic Games healthy and accident-free. Last year was a bad year for us with several injured athletes.” For Huber, one thing is clear: “good results at the Olympics also mean better financial support for the future.”

The big goal: Cortina 2026

For the experienced South Tyrolean, who himself has won an Olympic medal as well as World and European championship titles, it is a special moment to experience the Games virtually on his doorstep – but as the coach of a Chinese team. “That we enjoy luge and can go into the races with ambition and a relaxed attitude. Then the results will also be good,” is Huber's wish for the coming months.

And he has a clear message for the fans: “We will achieve better results this year and I hope there will be some surprises.”

So when the luge athletes compete for Olympic medals in Cortina, one person will be watching very closely: Norbert Huber – the South Tyrolean who wants to lead China's lugers to the world elite.