US EditionOwners Recount Panic After Nazgul Gatecrashes Race on Doggy Day Out
Nazgul escaped due to an unlatched kennel latch and briefly disrupted a women's team sprint race, but did not affect final standings, drawing global social media attention.
- On Wednesday, Nazgul, a two-year-old, 65-pound Czechoslovakian Wolfdog, ran onto the women's cross-country sprint finish straight during the team sprint qualification round, alarming athletes and going viral with a photo-finish image.
- A partially unlatched kennel lever appears to have allowed Nazgul to push open the front door, then dash "running like a fool" through the open priority spectator entrance, too fast for volunteers despite an eight-foot-tall fence.
- Owners thanked race officials and later removed a handmade "Nazgul world champion wolfdog" sign after Enrico's father retrieved Nazgul and returned him to his outdoor doghouse, with a race official reporting a 'little bite'.
- Because Nazgul showed up after the leaders finished, the preliminary results stood; some Olympic racers said they were briefly alarmed while Canadian Tony Cyr, 27, said `We thought it was funny.`
- The episode highlights ownership challenges and legal limits on intentional wolf-dog crossbreeding, with Raidmets noting `It has a pack instinct, although it is not directly aggressive` and that established breeds are permitted in Estonia.
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11 Articles
Owners recount panic after Nazgul gatecrashes race on doggy day out
TESERO, Italy, Feb 20 : When the Varesco family headed off to watch the biathlon at the Winter Olympics on Wednesday they left their two-year-old Czechoslovakian wolfdog Nazgul locked in his kennel at home in Tesero.In their absence, Nazgul became the most unlikely star of the Milano Cortina Games after escap
The kennel has since been reinforced to ensure that the dog, named Nazgul, does not interfere with further competitions.
Olympic Intruder: The Curious Case of Nazgul the Wolfdog
Nazgul, a Czechoslovakian wolfdog, unexpectedly stole the limelight at the Winter Olympics after escaping his home in Tesero and joining a biathlon race. The Varesko family's pet ran alongside skiers, creating a buzz worldwide. The incident ended safely, with increased kennel security to prevent repeats.
Wolfhounds have received an unexpected amount of attention at the Milan Cortina Olympics in recent days. While a Czechoslovakian wolfhound made a "performance" in the women's cross-country skiing sprint qualification, ERR sports reporter Ivar Lepik found a Saarloos wolfhound near the Dobbiaco train station, with whom he also got to know each other better.
Dogs at the Olympics? Turns out, it is not the first time
On Wednesday, Feb. 19, the world was bewitched by the sudden arrival of a surprising competitor at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games. Nazgul, a Czechoslovakian wolfdog, ran onto the cross-country ski course and quickly became one of the Games’ most famous participants. When Nazgul made his surprising appearance on the cross-country skiing course, viewers on social media could have been forgiven for thinking the dog was a trick. Except…
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