When the Varesco family left their home in Tesero, Italy, to attend a biathlon event at the Winter Olympics, they believed their two-year-old Czechoslovakian wolfdog, Nazgul, was safely secured in his kennel. What they didn’t know was that, while they were away, Nazgul would escape the house and unexpectedly become part of the Milano Cortina Games — running straight onto the nearby Olympic cross-country course and charging down the finishing stretch alongside competing skiers.

The family was already traveling to Anterselva when the moment unfolded.

“We were on the train to Anterselva to watch the biathlon,” Alice Varesco told Reuters on Friday.
“We were three hours from home when friends started sending us videos. That was the panic moment. We realised we could not do anything.”

For several surreal seconds during the qualifying races, spectators believed a wolf had made its way onto the course. In reality, it was Nazgul — silver-grey, alert, and fully focused — instinctively chasing the skiers ahead. His presence was later confirmed when he appeared in an official photo-finish image, which is how Alice and Ernesto Varesco knew for certain it was their dog.

Alice said the emotional impact lingered long after Nazgul was brought to safety.

“Concern, for sure,” she said of her first reaction.
“It was with us the whole day actually. Even after they told us he was safe, we kept thinking about what could have gone wrong.”

According to the family, Nazgul had never escaped on his own before. They believe he may have been frustrated at being left behind and repeatedly pushed a lever until it loosened, eventually managing to open the door.

“He wanted to look for us I think because he’s used … to going in that direction with us when we go for a walk,” Alice said.
“He likes to stay with his crew.”

Race officials responded swiftly, with the race director catching Nazgul inside the venue. Within half an hour, family members had brought him home safely. By that time, however, videos of the moment had already spread rapidly online.

“Everyone was sending us videos and pictures. At a certain point we just closed the phone because it was impossible,” Alice added.
“We were in Anterselva with small kids and we said we need to be here and we’ll look at everything later.”

Since then, security around Nazgul’s kennel has been reinforced to ensure there’s no repeat during the upcoming 50-kilometre races, which the family plans to watch from home — with Nazgul firmly in sight. Above all, the Varescos say they are relieved the incident ended safely and without disruption.

“We did not think this could be possible, but generally the reaction was people loved him,” Alice said.
“And it’s good that nothing happened and it was going in a positive way, so everybody was happy.”