From the tropics to Beijing: How Alex Ferlazzo made it to the Winter Olympics in luge

Townsville is one of the hottest places in Australia, where people barely own a jumper and the closest thing to snow is at the local ice-skating rink.

So, the winter sport of luge may seem like a peculiar choice for someone from the northern Queensland city.

But Townsville-bred athlete Alex Ferlazzo has risen to become one of the world's best in the sport and will compete at the Beijing Winter Olympics this weekend.

The 2022 Games marks Ferlazzo's third appearance for the Australian team in luge.

He discovered the adrenaline-fuelled sliding sport in 2010 after his mum had a chance meeting with a former luger at a pilates class.

«We went for a coffee afterwards with a couple of friends and she brought it up and it just took hold from there,» Ferlazzo said.

«I asked Alex to have a look and see what luge was and he said, 'I really like that' and it just amazingly went on,» his mum Michelle Ferlazzo said.

It didn't take long before Ferlazzo was booked on a flight to New Zealand, where he experienced cold weather and sliding on ice for the first time.

He was hooked.

The 26-year-old spends six months of his year in the heat and humidity of Townsville and the remainder competing on the world cup circuit.

As the only Australian luge athlete, he often teams up with other countries.

«I think the hardest part is the amount of time he has to spend overseas,» Ms Ferlazzo said.

«He has built beautiful friendships and seen amazing parts of the world, but we do miss him.»

Ferlazzo said training in the tropics for half the year wasn't without its challenges either.

«I jump on the wheeled sled and go down Mt Stuart every now and then just to keep the feeling on the luge sled,» he said.

«I'm in a situation where, while I can't slide during the off