Overview
- Nazgul, a 2-year-old Czechoslovakian wolfdog, ran onto the Lake Tesero course during the women’s team sprint qualifying and crossed the line with skiers, appearing in the official photo finish.
- Race officials removed the dog from the track, he briefly slipped free again, and he was secured and returned to his owners soon after.
- Organizers said the race outcome was unaffected, though some athletes described a scare and raised safety concerns, while others took the moment in stride.
- Owners Alice and Enrico Varesco realized what had happened only after friends sent TV clips while they were en route to the biathlon in Anterselva, then issued an apology.
- The family says Nazgul likely opened his kennel and reached an unlocked door, and they have since tightened security at home as videos of the incident spread widely online.