The competition exists out of four runs over two consecutive days. The fastest 20 athletes after three runs are allowed to participate in the last (fourth) run. The competitor with the lowest aggregate time for all four runs is the winner.
Natalie Corless and Yulianna Tunytska were the youngest competitors in the field at the age of 18, though twelve other athletes were born after 1 January 2000. Raluca Stramaturaru was the veteran of the field at the age of 36 and competing in her fourth edition of the Olympic Games, with second-oldest Natalie Geisenberger reaching the same achievement at the age of 34. Tatyana Ivanova returned for her third Olympic appearance at the age of 30, after missing out on 2018 due to doping concerns, while Summer Britcher, Olena Stetskiv, Andrea Voetter, and Eliza Tiruma all competed for the third time after 2014 and 2018. In a field of 35, 21 athletes made their Olympic debuts. Natalie Geisenberger was also the only former medalist who returned after a successful result in 2018, having taken gold in 2014 and 2018, and bronze in 2010.
Natalie Geisenberger won her fifth Olympic gold medal and third consecutive gold medal in the event, becoming the first luger ever to win five gold medals. With Anna Berreiter winning a silver medal at her Olympic debut, she ensured a second German athlete in the medals of the women's luge for the seventh time in a row. Tatyana Ivanova added to her silver medal in the mixed team relay in 2014 by winning bronze after just having missed out on the medals in 2010. Madeleine Egle wasn't able to win her second Olympic medal after her bronze medal in the team relay in 2018, Hannah Prock just finished outside of the medals after her 17th place in 2018, while Lisa Schulte completed the Austrian 4-5-6 at her Olympic debut. Julia Taubitz also finished in the top 10 at her first Olympic appearance, while Eliza Tiruma achieved her best-ever individual result in three prior appearances.
