Igls prepares to host first combined luge world championships

Preparations are on schedule for the 2027 luge world championships in Innsbruck-Igls, where medals will be awarded in both artificial-track and natural-track luge for the first time. ORF reported that the championships are due to take place on the first weekend of February.

The new natural-track course is nearing completion. The artificial track needs only a successful international training week in mid-November to receive homologation, according to organisers. In November 2025, homologation of the 30 million euro rebuilt track failed twice, forcing the cancellation of a luge World Cup event.

Rodel Austria president Markus Prock said the circumstances had been difficult, but the project went ahead with support from local politicians, including Innsbruck Mayor Johannes Anzengruber. Prock said organisers wanted to create a luge festival that people would remember for years.

Prock won singles gold on the home track in 1987 and, in 1997, took silver behind Germany’s Georg Hackl as well as team gold. Wolfgang Kindl, now 38, is hoping to add to the home-track success. He competed in his first world championships at home in 2007, aged 18, and won singles and sprint gold in 2017. He has since also competed successfully in doubles with Thomas Steu and could take part in five events at the 2027 championships.

Kindl said his appetite for competition remained strong and that he was excited about the event. He hopes to leave the home championships with at least one medal.

Riccarda Ruetz, the overall World Cup winner, is another Austrian medal hope on the natural-track course, which will also be open to the public. She won world championship silver at home in Kühtai two years ago. International Luge Federation president Einars Fogelis called the combined event a historic proposal by the Austrian federation.