Milano Cortina 2026: Alex Ferlazzo sliding towards big breakthrough in luge

Alex Ferlazzo is hard to miss when he is on a luge sled. His flashy, green-and-gold speedsuit stands out against the icy white backdrop of artificial sliding tracks the world over, but it’s what those colours represent that make the Australian slider uniquely singular in the sport of luge.

See, Ferlazzo is sort of a duck out of water, or perhaps better yet, a kangaroo on the ice, when it comes to luge. He hails from the sunny coastal city of Townsville, Australia - a place not particularly known for its winter sports pedigree.

Nonetheless, he thrives in a climate opposite of his hometown, hurtling feet-first down narrow, icy chutes at more than 100kph on any given competition day.

“The best example I can give is in a fast car when someone really gasses the pedal, and you get pushed back into your seat,” the three-time Olympian explained to Olympics.com during an exclusive interview ahead of the 2024/2025 season. “That’s kind of what it feels like going through the corners.”

It’s a feeling Ferlazzo has become intimately familiar with after over a decade of practising the sport, and one he has learned to enjoy on a journey that has led him towards personal growth, a fifth-place finish at the 2024 FIL World Championships and three consecutive appearances at the Olympic Games.

Pilates, coffee and an icy introduction

Ferlazzo’s foray into luge began with a chance encounter between his mother and former Australian luge athlete Karen Flynn. The pair met during a Pilates class and eventually discussed luge while grabbing some coffee with friends.

“My mum knew nothing about the sport,” Ferlazzo explained. “All she knew is that she had a 15-year-old son with a ton of energy that was a bit of a thrill-seeker.”

Flynn’s sales pitch was a smashing success. It wasn’t long before Ferlazzo found his way to the ice, getting his first taste of sport on a natural track in Naseby, New Zealand.

“It's scary to jump on the luge sled for the first time,” said the now seasoned slider. “It's not what most people expect but, as my teenage self, I was fearless… almost stupidly.”

Ferlazzo was a born daredevil. Before taking up luge, he enjoyed activities like cliff diving, surfing and speeding around on motorbikes. The inherent thrill of luge beckoned the adventurous Aussie.

“First time trying luge to me was just the most incredible rush at the time, and I liked it more so than all those other thrill-seeking activities that I did as a child because it had direction,” he said.

His first experience on an artificial track - the type used at the Olympic Games - would come during a trip to Lake Placid.

Dressed in usual winter attire, he donned skydiving goggles and settled into a sled where his arms hung out the sides. Nonetheless, he picked up the basics of the sport quickly, impressing many of those around him. Ferlazzo was hooked.

Ferlazzo experiences the ups and downs of competition

Australia’s fastest young athlete on ice enjoyed his first taste of Olympic competition during the Winter Youth Olympic Games Innsbruck 2012, finishing 19th in the men’s singles event. It was a positive experience for the young slider, who gained an appreciation for the Olympic Games.

Ferlazzo continued to train with a development group run by the International Luge Federation (FIL), eventually qualifying to compete at the Olympic Winter Games Sochi 2014.

It was a historic feat for the still relatively inexperienced slider, who became only the fourth luge athlete from Australia to compete in the Olympic Winter Games, following in the footsteps of Diane Ogle, Roger White and Hannah Campbell-Pegg.

He finished a respectable 33rd place in the men’s singles event, bringing the curtains down on his rookie period in the sport.

After the Games, Ferlazzo opted to train with the Latvian team in order to remain under the tutelage of his coach, Kaspars Dumpis. He continued to grow as a slider, but was disappointed after a 28th-place finish in the men’s singles event at the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018.

“I was really frustrated that I wasn't still getting better and that's what just made me want to quit,” said Ferlazzo. Thankfully, a fortuitous six-month surfing trip with two-time Olympian Mitchel Malyk proved to be the perfect remedy for Ferlazzo’s luge woes.

“There was lots of time sitting at the beach thinking about luge and wondering what it was,” Ferlazzo explained. He can’t point to an exact moment when his mindset changed but the trip was undeniably helpful.

“I set a plan and that year off during Covid really allowed me to just fix up a lot of mental areas and evaluate the whole process and create more of a long-term goal,” added Ferlazzo. “I think that's when the focus shifted.”

He took an 18-month hiatus from the sport, began training with Team USA and prepared for a comeback that would turn more than a few heads on the World Cup circuit.

Ferlazzo learns lessons to record historic results

Ferlazzo’s return to luge was well worth the wait. He sped to 18th place in the men’s singles sprint competition during his first weekend back on the World Cup circuit. However, he took more than a positive result away from that weekend.

After finishing his run and traveling back to the start area, Ferlazzo decided to observe the top athletes in the sport.

“I focused on their faces and tried to understand what emotions they were going through,” he said. “That was an awesome experience for me and that taught me a lot about what it takes to be able to slide well in a race environment.”

He continued training with Team USA in the lead-up to the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022, where clean, fast and confident sliding saw him finish 16th in the men’s singles event - the best-ever result for an Australian luge athlete at the Olympic Games.

“I was so calm but focused,” said Ferlazzo. “It was insane. I already knew deep in my heart that it was going to be a good run. There was no doubt in my mind and it happened. That blew me away.

“It wasn't about the 16th place. It was about putting all those other pieces together leading up to that point, and that was really special.”

Australia’s record-setting luge athlete continued to see his results progress in the two seasons following Beijing 2022. He finished just outside the top 10 at multiple World Cup races, eventually setting a personal best of seventh place in the men’s singles, and claimed a bronze medal in the men’s singles event at the America-Pacific Championships 2024.

Ferlazzo carried that momentum into the 2024 FIL World Championships, where a pair of sensational runs saw him finish in fifth place - the best result ever by an Australian slider at the FIL World Championships.

Finishing the season on that high note, Ferlazzo turned his attention to the future, with a particularly keen eye on the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026.

Looking ahead towards Milano Cortina 2026

While there are no direct qualification opportunities for Milano Cortina 2026 this season, the World Cup circuit provides an invaluable opportunity for athletes, coaches and teams to fine-tune their preparations and make any last-minute adjustments ahead of the Olympic season.

“This season is a bit of a rehearsal,” Ferlazzo told Olympics.com. “Not so results-wise, but equipment-wise. I want to really try to dial in that mindset for racing and and practising.”

Ferlazzo has switched coaching camps once more, training with the Canadian team for the 2024/2025 season.

“It's a bit of a younger crowd,” admits Ferlazzo, but he still believes they can come together as tight-knit luge family, adding: “We can help each other out mentally throughout the season.”

Of course, there is the added perk of training at the Whistler Sliding Centre, where the 2025 FIL World Championships will be held. Nonetheless, he remains focused on his end goal: qualifying and competing at Milano Cortina 2026.

“I think physically and mentally, I will be the greatest athlete that I can be leading into those Olympics,” stated Ferlazzo, who’s eager to get some training runs at the Cortina Sliding Centre once construction is finished.

“I am super excited to jump on that track for the first time. I think other than, like, racing well and in a racing environment, to me, that is the purest form of luge, when you have to learn a track with all the other luge competitors,” added the enthusiastic Aussie.

It’s a challenge he personally relishes, telling Olympics.com: “It's probably the most exciting part in a Olympic season.”

While Ferlazzo still has a long way to go if he wants to get anywhere near the legacy left by his personal sporting hero, six-time Olympic medallist Armin Zoeggeler, he is eager to get back on the ice and continue creating history for his nation, one run at a time.