Luge, originating from the French term “luge”, which translates as sled, is a winter sport characterized by high speed and which integrates speed, dexterity and accuracy. Competitors slide down an ice track lying on their backs on a specialized sled, without interruptions, reaching speeds of over 140 km/h. Fasten your seat belts, it’s time to learn all about luge!
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All about Luge: what is it?
Like skeleton, luge is played on a sled and is considered one of the most extreme sports in the Olympic program;
The difference is that the athletes go down the slopes lying on their backs on the sled, with their heads back, without having a full view of the course;
At the Olympic Games, there are four descents and the winner is the one with the shortest total time.
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All about Luge: history
The first references to the luge date back to the 16th century, with reports of its use in Norway and Germany as a means of transportation;
However, the modern version of the sport emerged in the 19th century in St. Moritz, Switzerland, which is also the birthplace of skeleton and bobsled.
The first official luge race took place in 1883, in Davos (Switzerland). In 1913, the International Sled Sports Federation was founded in Germany, which organized the sport until 1935, when it was incorporated by the IBSF (International Bobsled and Skeleton Federation), founded in 1923;
In 1957, the International Luge Federation was created, which is still responsible for international luge competitions. Luge was included in the Winter Olympics at the Innsbruck Games in 1964.
Luge, along with bobsled, has been part of the CBDG’s activities since it was founded in 1996;
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The first competitions with Brazilian athletes in the sport took place in 1997, with Ricardo Raschini and Renato Mizoguchi, who took part in the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City (USA).
Brazil maintained a constant presence in Olympic luge until 2005. From then on, the country began to take part in the international luge circuit on natural tracks;
Since then, he has made three appearances at world championships and World Cups.
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All about Luge: rules and regulations
Now that we know what it is and all about its history, let’s delve into the rules and functionality of the sport!
Position of the athletes
The athletes go down the track lying on their backs on the sled, with their heads back, which limits their view of the course.
Olympic descents
In the Olympic Games, the competition involves four descents and the winner is determined by the shortest cumulative time.
Speed
Competitors can reach speeds of over 140 km/h.
Equipment
- Sled: the sled used in the luge is a specialized structure designed to minimize friction and maximize speed.
- Clothing: athletes wear aerodynamic clothing to reduce wind resistance.
- Helmet: a helmet is mandatory for protection.
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All about Luge: categories
Luge, as an Olympic sport, has several categories or forms of competition. Here are the main ones:
Men’s Singles
- Male athletes compete individually.
- Each athlete makes four descents over two days, and the times are added together.
Women’s Singles
- Female athletes compete individually.
- As in the men’s category, each athlete makes four descents over two days, with the times added together.
Men’s Doubles
- Doubles of male athletes compete together in the same sled.
- The competition takes place over a single day, with each pair making two descents. The lowest cumulative time decides the winner.
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Team Relay
- Teams made up of three sleds from each country: a women’s single, a men’s single and a men’s double.
- The female athlete descends first and, at the end of the track, a sign is touched allowing the male athlete to descend. Finally, the men’s duo descends. The total time of the three descents determines the winner.
reach speeds of up to 145 km/h.
In the individual competition, the athletes use the same track and make four descents over two days;
Each descent is timed to the hundredths of a second, and the times are added up. The athlete with the lowest total time is declared the winner.
The pairs competition takes place on a single day, with each pair making two descents. The pair with the lowest cumulative time wins the gold medal.
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Luge on natural track vs. artificial track
- Artificial track: the best-known luge competitions are held on artificial tracks designed specifically for the sport.
- Natural track: there is also natural track luge, where competitions take place on natural ice rinks, often following the contour of the natural terrain.
In the team relay, each country is represented by three sleds: a women’s single, a men’s single and a men’s double;
The female athlete descends first and, at the end of the track, touches a sign above her head, allowing the next male athlete to begin his descent. The male pair descends last;
The winning team is the one that records the lowest total time after all three sleds have completed their descents.
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In addition to these Olympic disciplines, there are other categories in non-Olympic competitions, such as:
- Junior Luge: competition for young athletes.
- Natural Track Luge: competition held on natural ice rinks, as opposed to the artificial rinks used in Olympic competitions.
All about Luge: Luge in Brazil
The luge has accompanied the Brazilian Ice Sports Confederation (CBDG) since it was founded in 1996;
The first competitions with Brazilian athletes were in 1997, with Ricardo Raschini and Renato Mizoguchi, who took part in the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City;
Brazil maintained a presence in Olympic luge until 2005, and since then has taken part in the international natural luge circuit, with several participations in world championships and World Cup stages.
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All about Luge: curiosities
- The luge requires a lot of mandatory equipment for athletes: an aerodynamic helmet, highly resistant boots to withstand the impact with the track, visors and gloves with micro-needles to increase friction on the ground during the start and boost speed;
- The sleds must have two metal blades that directly touch the ice rink and a backrest for the athlete to lie on. They are made of carbon fiber, wood and steel. The maximum weight allowed is 23 kg in individual competitions and 27 kg in pairs competitions;
- The artificial tracks are generally the same as those used in the Skeleton and Bobsled races, but women and pairs often start from different points, shortening the course;
- Athletes can reach speeds of up to 145 km/h, making luge the fastest winter sport on the Olympic program;
- In addition to the Olympic version, there is also the natural track luge, where the tracks are smaller and have tighter curves. The sled has a lever that serves as a brake, and the track has no artificial cooling.
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