Sixty minutes that have already entered the annals of Italian luge history. An hour after the magical triumph of Voetter and Oberhofer in the women’s event, the winding ribbon of the Cortina Sliding Centre provided the stage for another epic gold medal in the men’s doubles, won by Emanuel Rieder and Simon Kainzwaldner.

It marked Italy’s third podium in four luge events at these Games, including Fischnaller’s bronze in the singles three days earlier. A legendary success for the experienced Italian crew who, buoyed by the support of CONI President Luciano Buonfiglio, restored an Italian pair to Olympic glory in the men’s doubles 32 years after Kurt Brugger and Wilfried Huber triumphed at Lillehammer 1994 Winter Olympics. Before them, only Paul Hildgartner and Walter Plaikner had achieved the feat, at Sapporo 1972 Winter Olympics.

Rieder and Kainzwaldner (photo ANSA) hinted at their affinity with the Cortina track in the opening run, finishing provisionally third, just 17 thousandths behind leaders Marcus Mueller and Ansel Haugsjaa of the United States. Their true masterpiece, however, came in the second and decisive run, where they set the fastest time to secure victory overall in 1:45.086.

Silver and bronze went respectively to Austria’s Thomas Steu and Wolfgang Kindl (+0.068) and Germany’s Olympic champions Tobias Wendl/Tobias Arlt (+0.090), who climbed two places from fifth after the first run. Italy also recorded a seventh-place finish for Ivan Nagler and Fabian Malleier (+0.218), penalised by minor errors in both runs. Just ahead of them were Mueller and Haugsjaa (sixth, +0.207), who slipped five places after leading at halfway. (agc)