A luge is small one- or two-person sled on which one sleighs supine
and feet-first. Steering is done by flexing the sled's runners or pulling straps
attached to the sled's runners. Luge is also the name of the sport which
involves racing with such sleds.
History
The first organized meeting of the sport took place in 1883 in Switzerland.
In 1913, the Internationale Schlittensportverband or International Sled Sports
Federation, was founded in Dresden (Germany). This body governed the sport until
1935, when it was incorporated in the Fédération Internationale de Bobsleigh et
de Tobogganing (FIBT, International Bobsleigh and Tobagganing Federation). After
it had been decided that luge would replace the sport of skeleton at the Olympic
Games, the first World Championships in the sport were held in 1955 in Oslo
(Norway). In 1957, the Fédération Internationale de Luge de Course (FIL,
International Luge Federation) is founded. Luge events were included in the
Olympic Winter Games in 1964.
Rules
The rules are fairly simple in luge. The course is timed, and the athlete
must depart from the start handles within a certain time once the track is
declared clear.
There are weight restrictions on the sleds, as well as restrictions on the
design and construction. The 'steels' (the metal blades on the bottom of the
runners on which the sled slides) must be within a certain temperature range
relative to the air temperature. There are also weight restrictions on the
athletes, as well as many other restrictions related to equipment including
speedsuits, booties, helmets, gloves, spikes, etc.
Like other timed sports, qualifying determines start position, important
during deteriorating track conditions. Overall time is an aggregate of two or
more runs down the course.
Competition format
Luge can take place on two kinds of tracks, artificial tracks and natural
tracks. Artificial tracks contains curves specially prepared for the sport, and
even the ice on the track may be refrigerated. Natural tracks have no such
adaptations. Most luge tracks, including almost all natural tracks, are located
in Alpine countries, artificial tracks are usually built for the Olympic Games.
Two different events are held in luge, events for single-seaters and events
for double-seaters. Technically, women are allowed to compete in doubles, but
doubles competitors continue to be almost exclusively male. Additionally, at
major championships, a team competition is held, where one man, one woman and a
doubles team form a team. Such teams may consists of athletes of two different
nations when each nation cannot field a full team.
Governing body
The sport of luge is governed by the FIL, Fédération International de Luge de
Course (see FIL Website). The FIL is located in Germany and is dominated by
German representatives.
| 2006 Winter Olympics
medal count |
| Pos |
Country |
Gold |
Silver |
Bronze |
Total |
| 1 |
Germany |
11 |
12 |
6 |
29 |
| 2 |
United States |
9 |
9 |
7 |
25 |
| 3 |
Austria |
9 |
7 |
7 |
23 |
| 4 |
Russia |
8 |
6 |
8 |
22 |
| 5 |
Canada |
7 |
10 |
7 |
24 |
| 6 |
Sweden |
7 |
2 |
5 |
14 |
| 7 |
Korea |
6 |
3 |
2 |
11 |
| 8 |
Switzerland |
5 |
4 |
5 |
14 |
| 9 |
Italy |
5 |
0 |
6 |
11 |
| 10 |
France |
3 |
2 |
4 |
9 |
| Netherlands |
3 |
2 |
4 |
9 |
| 12 |
Estonia |
3 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
| 13 |
Norway |
2 |
8 |
9 |
19 |
| 14 |
China |
2 |
4 |
5 |
11 |
| 15 |
Czech Republic |
1 |
2 |
1 |
4 |
| 16 |
Croatia |
1 |
2 |
0 |
3 |
| 17 |
Australia |
1 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
| 18 |
Japan |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
| 19 |
Finland |
0 |
6 |
3 |
9 |
| 20 |
Poland |
0 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
| 21 |
Belarus |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
| Bulgaria |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
| Great Britain |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
| Slovakia |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
| 25 |
Ukraine |
0 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
| 26 |
Latvia |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
| |
|
84 |
84 |
84 |
252 |
|
