As the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan continue, there are a few sports viewers may not recognize by name. Let’s break down three niche sports that are taking place in the games right now.
Luge
Luge is all about paying attention to detail in order to control chaos on the ice. Competitors lie with their backs flat on a small sled, feet first. They steer primarily by shifting their weight with calf pressure and subtle arm movements. It’s the fastest sport at the Winter Olympics, with the top athletes reaching speeds of more than 130 kilometers per hour or 80 miles per hour.
How do you win the gold medal? Winners are determined by cumulative time across multiple runs, so even the smallest mistake in body movement or loss of control can cost athletes their place on the podium.
So far in Milan, Germany has dominated the women’s singles event. On Feb. 10, Julia Taubitz captured gold with four near-perfect runs and a combined time of 3:30.625. Elina Bota from Latvia took silver, and Team USA’s Ashley Farquharson earned bronze with a time of 3:31.582.
Germany’s men’s team were strong in their finish as well. In men’s singles, Max Langenhan secured gold, followed by Jonas Mueller representing Austria and Italy’s Dominik Fischnaller in bronze.
Italy swept the doubles event that took place on Feb. 11. In the women’s race, the Italian pair Andrea Voetter and Marion Oberhofer won gold. That same day, Emanuel Reieder and Simon Kainzwaldner from Italy claimed first in the men’s category. Austria and Germany followed closely behind in both categories and genders, bringing home both silver and bronze, respectively.
The sport wrapped up with the team relay event on Feb. 12, where Germany took home the gold, Austria claimed silver and Italy earned bronze.
Skeleton
Like luge, skeleton sends athletes down another icy track, but this time they face down. One of the oldest winter sports, skeleton racers begin with a running sprint before diving headfirst onto a sled. They guide the sled using small body movements to steer around tight turns and narrow pathways, while reaching unimaginable speeds, similar to luge. The design of the sled is optimized to reduce air resistance and increase acceleration. The competition is again based on cumulative timing of four official heats.
The men’s final has already delivered dramatic results. Great Britain’s Matt Weston won gold in the race on Feb. 13. Axel Jungk from Germany took silver, just .9 seconds behind. Another German athlete, Christopher Grotheer earned bronze.
In the women’s final on Feb. 14, Janine Flock from Australia secured the win, beating German athletes, Susanne Kreher who got second and Jacqueline Pfeifer who got third.
The skeleton mixed team event made its first debut on Feb. 15 at the Olympic Games. In this event, each team is made up of one man and one woman from the same country, and their combined times are what earns them their places on the podium. Matt Weston and Tabby Stoecker of Great Britain won the inaugural mixed team gold and two German duos finished second and third on the podium.
Biathlon
Biathlon may be the most unique winter sport on the schedule. Through a combination of cross-country skiing with precision rifle shooting, athletes ski multiple laps while stopping to fire a .22 caliber long-rifle, five shots per round. Missed targets result in either a 150-meter penalty loop or time added, depending on the event.
France has emerged as a powerhouse team early in the Games. On Feb. 8, the French won gold in the mixed 4x6km relay. Italy earned silver and Germany snagged the last spot on the podium, winning bronze.
On Feb. 10, Norway’s Johan-Olav took gold in the men’s 20km individual race. His teammate Sturla Holm Laegreid placed in third, falling just shortly behind Eric Perrot from France.
The following day, France swept the first two spots in the women’s 15km individual race, with Julia Simon winning gold and her teammate Lou Jeanmonnot taking silver. Bronze was awarded to Lora Hristova from Bulgaria.
On Feb. 13, Quentin Fillon Maillet of France won gold in the men’s 10km sprint. Norway’s Vetle Sjaastad Christiansen claimed silver while Laegrid earned another bronze medal in the sport.
On Feb. 14 during the women’s sprint, Norway’s Maren Kirkeeide won her first gold medal, hitting all ten targets and finishing with a total time of 20:4.8. France’s Océane Michelon took silver and Lou Jeanmonnot, also from France, won bronze.
Biathlon has scheduled events up until Feb. 21, so viewers should keep a close eye on top athletes in the sport as well as last week’s winners who are looking to bring home some more hardware.
Now that you know a little more about each of these niche winter sports, these events become a lot more than athletes sliding around on the snow. As the Games continue, keep an eye on luge, skeleton and biathlon events. With a little context, every split time, penalty loop and final heat carries more weight and might just turn you into a new fan.
