MODERN OLYMPIC EVENTS — LUGE

 

 
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Luge is the French word for sled, and historical findings point to the existence of sleds, as early as AD 800 with the Vikings in the Slagen countryside near the Oslo Fjord. The Vikings are believed to have had sleds with two runners, which resemble the modern-day version. The first international sled race occurred in 1883 in Davos, Switzerland, with 21 competitors from Australia, England, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland and the United States. This race took place over 4km and was won by Georg Robertson, a student from Australia, and Peter Minsch, a mailman from Klosters. Both finished the race in just over nine minutes. =

The first World Championships occurred on an artificial track in Oslo in 1955. Two years later, the International Luge Federation (FIL) was founded in Davos and remains the governing body of luge today. It made its Olympic debut at the 1964 Games.

Singles
In men's and women's singles, athletes take four runs down the track. Each run counts. The four times are added, and the fastest total time determines the winner. The competition takes two days to complete (two runs per day). Men and women compete on the same track, but the women start from a position further down the course.

The four-run format is unique to the Olympic Winter Games and is designed to reward consistency, endurance and ability to withstand pressure, particularly on the second day. At most events, such as the World Championships and World Cup races, singles are contested over two runs.

Doubles
Doubles luge is a one-day competition in which pairs of athletes take two runs down a course. Each run counts. The fastest total time determines the winner. The two-run format also is used in World Championships and World Cup races. There is no rule that says a doubles team must comprise members of the same sex, but traditionally, men have ridden together, with the larger man lying on top for a more aerodynamic fit.