A Brief History of Luge and Its Global Importance

August Glover Research Paper-PE 2012 First Semester

A young athlete races down a tubular track made entirely of ice and metal with only one goal on his mind: winning. Luge features many skills that only a select few can obtain successfully, and these skills become necessities when attempting a huge task such as qualifying for the Winter Olympics. A complex assortment of mental and physical strength combine together to turn the average human into a hurdling machine that whisks down an ice pipe at speeds exceeding 74 miles per hour. Determination to endure such extreme situations is what drives young athletes throughout the United States to push their bodies to limits through low temperatures and high gravitational forces. These factors are the driving force behind what makes luge such a popular sport around the world. Beginning with the Vikings, small sleds were often constructed to provide a vessel for people to ride on when a cool, snowy climate engulfed much of central Europe. These slightly unsophisticated sleds developed into a similar replica of luge sleds today. As luge racing expanded into modern history, many countries gathered together for the first international luge racing competition hosted in Norways Erz Mountain region in February of 1883. Two Norwegian victors tied for an identical first place of nine minutes, fifteen seconds. As the turn of the century approached, luge became administered by a European group known as Federation Internationale de Bobsleigh et de Tobogganing, who also managed other ice track sports at the time. After the admittance of luge into the Federation, it quickly grew into a massive global phenomenon. The first luge world championships were held in Oslo, Norway in 1955. In 1957, thirteen countries established a foundation designated specifically to the sport of luge known as the Federation Internationale de Luge de Course, or F.I.L. After almost eighty years of gaining

popularity, luge was finally established as an Olympic sport in the 1964 IX Winter Olympic Games held in Innsbruck, Austria. Despite international recognition among athletic sponsors of the Olympics, many American lugers were obscured from its popularity due to lack of financial support. In 1932, American athletes who were trained to run on bobsled courses took a chance on luge, but still they remained in relative obscurity for the next fifteen years. Although this barrier prevented national support of luge in the United States, sponsors were eventually located and they began a series of expansions that eventually promoted luge as the sport we know of today. With many rules and regulations that organizations are required to follow, luge becomes a complex series of sleds, uniforms, and specific weight measurements. Depending on the riders division (i.e. Adult Male, Adult Female, Youth Male, etc.), the weight requirement fluxuates and allows for more or less flexibility in areas such as the weight of the uniform. Adult males on average weigh 198 pounds. If a rider is over or under this designated average, he is allowed a specific amount of excess weight in his bodysuit and shoes. Once weight requirements have been achieved, the riders sled and other equipment is checked based on a rigid standard for all luge athletes. The concept of luge is often mistaken for an extreme version of your average teenager sledding down a snowy hill on the lid of a trash can. However, luge is much more physically involved. The rider uses his calf muscles to navigate the luge sled along an icy tubular track while also maintaining a very high speed. Precision is key when adjusting direction due to the conditions of the track, which is laid out similar to that of a water slide in a theme park. If too

much momentum is gained going around a turn, the rider will be thrown from his or her sled onto the ice wall that looms on each side. Starting strong is an absolute necessity when competing against oneself to achieve the lowest race time. The rider latches on to two handlebars that jut out of the ice walls on both the left and right. After the rider is situated with his grip, he must feel how his sled blades are going to react to the temperature and density of the ice by pulling himself backward and forward using the handlebars as a vice. As soon as the rider feels that he is ready, he thrusts himself forward off of the handlebars and begins the second task of making it to the finish line. Aside from strict regulations on clothing and sleds, luge closely resembles a sledding free-for-all whose history is based upon spontaneity on the ice track. A racer is examined physically before and after the race to ensure that he or she did not cheat, and the rest of the race is solely based on the riders ability to maintain control of the sled. Overall, luge is a very extreme sport that derived from a basic thrill-seeking winter event for people throughout the mountainous terrain of Central Europe. Luge affects modern sports with its vigorous training regimen and physical demands. By calling for such strength and endurance, many athletes seek to defeat its challenges and become victors over its deathly danger. Thousands of luge teams and organizations exist throughout the world, and it provides a very peaceful reason for international people to gather together in one place for friendly competition and a chance to place a name in global record books. The Winter Olympics are now a strong host for luge athletes from all over the world, and the event provides for international recognition and an achievement that only three people in the world can gain. The competition,

the speed, and the absolute physicality of the sport of luge is what draws people back to its cold welcome at events every winter.

Works Cited History of Luge. 2010. United States Luge Association. www.usaluge.org. 26 Oct 2012. Natural and Artificial Track Luge. 2012. Federation Internationale de Luge de Course. www.fil-luge.org. 26 Oct 2012. Washingtonpost.com. Everything You Need to Know About Luge. Washington Post 1998.