Key Takeaways
- The USA Luge team has announced its 11 nominations for the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milano-Cortina.
- The team includes a mix of returning Olympians and newcomers, with Summer Britcher, Emily Fischnaller, and Ashley Farquharson returning in women’s singles, and Jonny Gustafson returning in men’s singles.
- Women’s doubles will make its Olympic debut, with Sophia Kirkby and Chevonne Forgan competing for the United States.
- The Olympic luge events will take place from February 7-12, with men’s singles starting on February 7 and 8, women’s singles on February 9 and 10, men’s and women’s doubles on February 11, and the team relay on February 12.
- The USA Luge team has had a successful season, with 10 World Cup medals won so far, including three individual medals and two team relay medals won by Summer Britcher.
Introduction to the USA Luge Team
The USA Luge team has officially announced its 11 nominations for the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milano-Cortina. The team includes a solid mix of returning Olympians and newcomers, with a total of six athletes nominated for the Olympic team. The United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee will soon officially sign off on the nominations. Among the nominations are three women’s singles sliders, including Summer Britcher, Emily Fischnaller, and Ashley Farquharson, who will be competing in their fourth, third, and second Olympics, respectively.
Men’s and Women’s Singles Competitors
Men’s singles slider Jonny Gustafson will be returning to the Olympics after competing in the 2022 Games in Beijing, China. He will be joined by first-time Olympian Matthew Greiner, who claimed the last spot on the team after beating Tucker West in Winterberg, Germany. Greiner, a past junior world championships medalist, is looking to make a strong debut at the Olympics. On the women’s side, Summer Britcher will be competing in her fourth Olympics, making her one of the most experienced members of the team. Britcher has had a dominant season so far, leading the FIL Luge World Cup women’s singles standing with three individual medals and two team relay medals.
Women’s Doubles Makes Olympic Debut
Women’s doubles will be making its Olympic debut at the 2026 Games, with Sophia Kirkby and Chevonne Forgan competing for the United States. The duo will be looking to make a strong impression in their first Olympic appearance. The men’s doubles teams will include 2022 Olympians Zack DiGregorio and Sean Hollander, who will be competing with their own sled this time around, as well as first-time Olympians Marcus Mueller and Ansel Haugsjaa. The men’s doubles competition is expected to be fierce, with several strong teams vying for medals.
Olympic Schedule and Expectations
The Olympic luge events will take place from February 7-12, with men’s singles starting on February 7 and 8, women’s singles on February 9 and 10, men’s and women’s doubles on February 11, and the team relay on February 12. The USA Luge team is looking to win its first Olympic medal since 2018, when Chris Mazdzer took home a silver medal. With a strong team and a successful season so far, the expectations are high for the USA Luge team. The team has won 10 World Cup medals this season, and Summer Britcher has led the way with three individual medals and two team relay medals.
Athlete Perspectives
For some of the returning Olympic sliders, the 2026 Games will have a different feel. In 2022, the coronavirus pandemic put a halt to spectators attending the Olympics, which meant family members couldn’t watch their loved ones slide. Jonny Gustafson, who competed in the 2022 Olympics, is excited to have his family in attendance in Italy. "Anytime we have a home World Cup, and we have friends and family come out, it’s such an incredible experience. So that feeling multiplied by, I don’t know how many, for it being at the Olympics is going to be so cool," he said. Summer Britcher, who will be competing in her fourth Olympics, is also looking forward to the experience. "I’ve had a few moments where it’s started to hit me, and I’m very excited," she said. "I’m kind of waiting for when Team USA makes that announcement that’s kind of when that full moment will happen."
Notable Athletes Who Missed Out
There were some notable athletes who missed out on a chance to make the Olympic team, including Tucker West, a three-time Olympian, who dealt with injuries all season and narrowly lost out on another Olympic team berth. On the doubles luge side, the 2026 Olympics essentially only allowed for one women’s doubles team from each nation to qualify for the Games, which meant that the U.S. women’s duo of Maya Chan and Sophia Gordon missed out after Sophia Kirkby and Chevonne Forgan finished third in the Olympic qualifying standings. Other athletes who did not qualify for the Olympic team include Emma Erickson, Dana Kellogg, Frank Ike, Hunter Harris, and Aidan Mueller. Despite the disappointments, the USA Luge team is looking forward to a successful Olympics and is excited to compete in front of a home crowd.
