Nazgul the Wolfdog’s Olympic Track Escape Sparks Viral Fame
Nazgul, whose unexpected sprint down the homestretch during an Olympic cross-country ski race captured hearts around the globe, pictured with his owners Enrico and Alice Varesco on Feb. 21, 2026.
Nathaniel Herz
LAGO DI TESERO, ITALY — Before becoming the Olympics’ most talked-about dog, Nazgul was never considered an escape specialist.
Even so, his owners, Enrico and Alice Varesco, took precautions when they left him alone in their apartment beside the Olympic cross-country ski trails earlier this week.
The Varescos were traveling a couple of hours over the mountains to watch an Olympic biathlon race at another venue. Nazgul, a two-year-old, 65-pound Czechoslovakian Wolfdog, had been placed inside his roomy kennel inside the house, with an eight-foot fence separating their backyard from the trail where dozens of skiers would race past later that day.
Then photos of a dog running alongside ski racers on the homestretch began popping up on Alice’s phone.
“We thought it was impossible,” she said. “There are other wolfdogs in the valley.”
But a friend working in the competition office soon sent Alice what would become an iconic image: a high-definition photo from the finish-line camera. Soon after, a family member who rushed to the Varescos’ apartment confirmed the worst. “Everything open — and the dog is not there,” Alice recalled.
Thus began the saga of Nazgul, named after the sinister figures from The Lord of the Rings — an Olympic cameo that initially startled athletes and organizers before turning into a moment of global social media fame.
Since wandering onto the course during Wednesday’s women’s team sprint qualification round, Nazgul has appeared in newspapers worldwide, on Lord of the Rings fan forums, and in a post by the five-million-strong WeRateDogs Instagram account. Their verdict: “14/10 someone get him a medal.”
The Varescos spend much of their time in the mountains of northern Italy and initially believed a wolfdog’s wild nature would suit their outdoor lifestyle.
Nazgul with one of his owners, Enrico Varesco
Nathaniel Herz
They had been warned the breed could be challenging, but they found a reputable kennel with dogs known for their temperament. Confident they could handle the responsibility, the couple went ahead.
The name was Enrico’s choice. He wanted something “powerful and scary,” Alice explained.
Nazgul is “not dangerous,” she emphasized. But he is “still a wolfdog.”
“Sometimes he’s stubborn and wants to win,” she said. “Our goal is not to let him win.”
She paused, then added with a smile: “This time, he won.”
‘Running like a fool’
So how did Nazgul manage it?
Looking back, Alice believes the latch on his kennel may not have been fully secured. She shared this while speaking Saturday in their backyard, as Nazgul and Enrico — neither fluent in English — played nearby in the sunshine.
From there, Nazgul likely pushed the front door handle open with his paw. As for the fence along the ski course, Alice said he went “running like a fool” straight through an open spectator priority entrance, moving too fast for volunteers to stop.
The sudden appearance of a wolf-like dog on the course initially startled some racers. One athlete later said she briefly thought she was hallucinating, losing a few seconds as a result.
Ultimately, Nazgul did not impact the race results. He arrived after the top athletes had already completed their qualifying runs. Broadcast footage showed him uninterested and non-aggressive toward the skiers, though race official Michel Rainer, who eventually caught him, later mentioned receiving a small bite from the “nervous” dog that required a bandage.
Several Olympic athletes later agreed that while a loose dog on a race course could have ended badly, this particular incident had a fortunate outcome.
Nazgul’s owners briefly marked his Olympic moment on his kennel at home
Nathaniel Herz
‘He was doing well’
“We thought it was funny,” said Canadian athlete Tony Cyr, 27, after finishing his race Saturday. “It put a smile on a lot of faces, and I don’t think it affected anyone’s performance.”
Alice emphasized how thankful she and Enrico were to the officials who helped safely retrieve Nazgul. As former ski racers themselves, they knew that “many, many things could have gone wrong.”
“We’re sorry if he ruined anyone’s moment,” she said. “We’re not proud that he escaped, but we are proud of how he behaved. Because he was doing well.”
After the initial panic faded, the Varescos found humor in the episode. One moment involved Italian Eurosport commentator Silvano Gadin, whom they know from a local mountain running race they organize. During the broadcast, commentators jokingly referred to the dog as “Olympo” and “Lampo,” prompting Alice to message Gadin.
“If they’re going to talk about him, at least use the right name,” she said.
Enrico’s father eventually retrieved Nazgul and returned him to his enclosed outdoor kennel, where he hung a handmade sign reading: “Nazgul world champion wolfdog.”
The sign stayed up for a few days before being removed to avoid attracting too much attention. Even during Saturday’s interview, a race official recognized Nazgul from the nearby trail, called out his name, and stopped to take a photo.
To keep things calm, the Varescos have been taking Nazgul on discreet walks. They know the spotlight won’t last. “In a couple of days,” Alice said, “everything will be finished, and this place will be quiet again.”
