Italy Shocks Germany in Women's Luge Doubles

Italian duo Shocks the World with Luge Gold

Andrea Voetter and Marion Oberhoffer win inaugural women's luge doubles gold, ending Germany's dominance in the sport.

Voetter and Oberhoffer's underwhelming World Cup season didn't reflect their true potential...

Andrea Voetter and Marion Oberhoffer of Italy took home the gold medal in the inaugural women's luge doubles event, pulling off a major upset at the Cortina Sliding Centre. The Italian duo delivered two flawless runs on the new track, leaving their rivals in the dust. Their victory marks a historic moment for Italy, ending Germany's dominance in women's luge, which had seen them win the last eight singles and three mixed team golds.

Medal Standings

Germany's Dajana Eitberger and Magdalena Matschina took silver, while Austria's Selina Egle and Lara Kipp, the pre-race favorites, settled for bronze after making crucial errors in their first run. Latvia's Marta Robezniece and Kitija Bogdanova had a strong second run, but ultimately finished fourth.

Italians' Track Mastery Pays Off

Voetter and Oberhoffer's underwhelming World Cup season didn't reflect their true potential, as they've invested heavily in mastering the Cortina track. Their hard work paid off with a smooth 53.102-second opening run, securing the halfway lead in the two-run competition. Unlike the singles event, where athletes go four times, the doubles format gave them just two chances to shine.

The Italian duo's focus on the Cortina track proved to be a winning strategy. 

Italians' Hard Work Pays Off

Voetter and Oberhoffer had a tough World Cup season, but they'd invested heavily in mastering the Cortina track - and it showed. Their first run was a masterclass, clocking 53.102 seconds to take the halfway lead in the two-run competition.

The Italian duo's focus on the track paid off, giving them a solid foundation for the second run. 

Austrian Favorites Slip Up

Egle and Kipp, the dominant force all season, made crucial early mistakes, dropping them to third place, almost a quarter of a second behind the leaders. The Austrians' errors in their first run proved costly, handing the advantage to Italy's Voetter and Oberhoffer.

Latvia Pushes for Upset

Latvia's Robezniece and Bogdanova mounted a strong challenge with a storming second run, putting pressure on the Germans and Austrians. However, Eitberger and Matschina held firm to secure silver, while Egle and Kipp settled for bronze.

Andrea Voetter and Marion Oberhoffer of Italy held their nerve to secure the gold medal in the inaugural women's luge doubles event, winning by a narrow margin of 0.120 seconds. Their impressive performance earned them a warm celebration from their teammates and officials, including head coach Armin Zoggler, a former Italian luge gold medalist who won the men's singles in 2002 and 2006.

The Italian duo's victory marks a historic moment for Italy, ending Germany's dominance in women's luge, which had seen them win the last eight singles and three mixed team golds. Voetter and Oberhoffer are the first Italian women to medal in the sport since Gerda Weissensteiner won the singles in 1994.

Flying towards victory! OLYMPIC CHAMPIONS in the Women’s Doubles Team Andrea Vötter and Marion Oberhofer! 🥇#luge #lugelove #filuge #wintersports #milanocortina2026 pic.twitter.com/Gis74VoIH4

— FIL Luge (@FIL_Luge) February 11, 2026

Andrea Voetter and Marion Oberhoffer's gold medal win marked a historic upset, ending Germany's dominance in women's luge, which had seen them claim the last eight singles and three mixed team golds. This victory also marked Italy's return to the podium since Gerda Weissensteiner's singles win in 1994, the last time a non-German woman took Olympic luge gold.

The men's doubles competition is heating up, with Germany's Tobias Wendle and Tobias Arlt aiming for a fourth consecutive title. The second run is scheduled for later today.