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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.
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