Doubles, Men

For the first time since the sport’s introduction in 1964, the luge doubles was split into two events, men’s and women’s. Previously it had always technically been an open event, although no women had ever competed in it at the Olympic Winter Games.

The last three consecutive gold medals were won by Germany’s Tobias Arlt and Tobias Wendl. They returned for their fourth Olympics and again managed to claim another medal in the doubles; however, it was only bronze. After placing fifth in the first run they came from behind to secure the medal by placing second in run two. The German surprise World Champions of 2025 and silver medallists in the doubles of the 2016 Youth Olympic Winter Games, Paul Gubitz and Hannes Orlamünder, did not qualify after an unfortunate season.

The best time in run two brought the Italian doubles team of Emanuel Rieder and Simon Kainzwaldner from third to first to win Italy’s first gold in the luge doubles since 1994. The Austrian pair Thomas Steu and Wolfgang Kindl defended a narrow lead of only 2/100ths of a second for silver. Steu was a bronze medallist four years ago in Beijing with his long-term teammate Lorenz Koller. In Cortina, he teamed up with five-time Olympian Wolgang Kindl, who added his first doubles’ silver to the two silvers from Beijing in the men’s singles and the team relay. The surprise leaders after run one, the Americans Marcus Mueller and Ansel Haugsjaa, dropped to sixth place after a flawed second run.

In open doubles and men’s combined a German team has now won 12 of 18 gold medals followed by Italy and Austria with three each. Only seven of the 54 medals have not gone to one of these three countries.