Luge: Winter Olympic test event in Cortina upgraded to World Cup status, first qualifier for 2026 Winter Olympics
The Winter Olympic test event at the Cortina Sliding Centre later this month will now serve as an Olympic Luge qualifying event for the 2026 Winter Olympics, following last-minute changes to the World Cup calendar and qualification series announced by the International Luge Federation (FIL) on Saturday (15 November).
The FIL cited the failed homologation of the rebuilt Innsbruck-Igls ice track, originally scheduled to host the World Cup season opener during the first weekend of December, as reason for the changes.
As a result, Winterberg will now serve as the alternative venue for the opening World Cup of the 2025/26 Olympic season.
The Olympic qualification series has also seen an adjustment, with the first race for quota places moved up by one week.
This change elevates the Olympic Test Event at the Cortina Sliding Centre, scheduled from 24 to 30 November to the status of a qualifying event for Milano-Cortina 2026.
Meanwhile, the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation (IBSF) confirmed on Saturday afternoon that the Innsbruck-Igls track has been homologated for skeleton, monobob, women’s two-man bobsleigh, and men’s two-man bobsleigh. These World Cup events will go ahead as planned between 22 and 30 November.
The homologation for the four-man bobsleigh will be decided after additional test runs early next week.
