Olympics-Single off the ice, U.S. doubles luger Kirkby is looking for love

CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy, Feb 1 (Reuters) – U.S. women’s doubles luger Sophia Kirkby is single and looking for love as she prepares for the biggest date in her sporting career with her discipline’s debut at this month’s Milano Cortina Olympics.

Kirkby has taken to Instagram to declare herself a contender for the “Games’ Most Eligible Bachelorette’ and ready to shed light on the dating scene in the Cortina d’Ampezzo Olympic village.

The 24-year-old from Lake Placid is making her Olympic debut with women’s doubles luge included on the schedule for the first time.

A potter with more than 5,700 followers on Instagram, she has promoted her hand-made pins, cappuccino cups and ceramics while also searching for romance, with Valentine’s Day on February 14 coming during the Olympic period.

“I finish racing on the 12th and I’m looking for a Valentine’s date,” Kirkby posted on her page on Sunday.

“I’m not just looking to the other Olympians to grab a cappuccino. I’ll have my dating profiles activated and I’m open to grabbing a coffee with you the fans. See you in Cortina.”

In an earlier post, Kirkby declared herself “ready to slay”.

“I’ll be single during the Games. So I’ll bring you behind the scenes of what it’s like dating as an elite athlete while living the wildest schedule of my life,” she also announced last month.

“Watch me try to find dates, go on beautiful little adventures and maybe … accidentally meet the love of my life.”

Kirkby, whose late father James was a bobsledder with the U.S. Air Force, will partner 25-year-old Chevonne Forgan. The pair ranked third in the world at the end of the 2024-25 season.

Doubles luge features the shorter athlete on the bottom of the sled and the taller on top, for aerodynamic reasons, face up and feet-forwards. Known as the fastest sport on ice, single competitors can reach speeds of 145kph (90mph).

The doubles events are on February 11, with a team relay scheduled for the following day.

(Reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Ken Ferris)