Tobogganing

The first organized meeting of athletes took place in 1883 in Switzerland . In 1913, the International Federation of Luge (Internationale Schlittensportverband) was founded in Dresden ( Germany ). This organization ran the sport until 1935 , when it was incorporated into the International Bobsleigh and Toboggan Federation (FIBT). After the decision was made to replace the skeleton with sledding in the program of the Winter Olympic Games , in 1955 the first world championship was held in Oslo ( Norway ). In 1957, the Fédération Internationale de Luge de Course, FIL was founded. Luge was included in the program of the Olympic Winter Games in 1964 .

The rules of tobogganing are quite simple - the athlete who has completed the track in the least amount of time wins. The participant must start within a certain time after the track has become free.

The athlete must finish with the sled, otherwise he will be disqualified. However, it is allowed to stop on the track, sit on the sled again and continue the descent.

The weight of the sled and their device are regulated. The temperature of the runners should also be in a certain range, depending on the air temperature. There are also restrictions on the weight of athletes and their equipment, including overalls, shoes, helmets and gloves.

As in other sports associated with high-speed passage, preliminary competitions determine the start order, which may be important in the event of deterioration of the track. The total time of the athlete consists of the results of two or more races.

In luge, competitions are held among singles and couples. From 2018, women can compete in pairs. Relays are held at major tournaments in which the team consists of a woman, a man and a couple.

Since the 2016 World Cup, a sled sprint has been included in the competition program. The distance in the sprint is shortened, the measurement of the time of the sleigh rider does not start from the start, but after passing the initial segment (from 100 to 150 meters), and the winner is determined by the results of a single attempt.

Luge competitions are held on two types of tracks: tobogganing and nurban (a kind of tobogganing). On some tracks, ice is artificially cooled. Most of the toboggan runs, including almost all of the natural ski runs, are located in alpine countries:

•   Altenberg ( Saxony )
•   Königssee ( Bavaria )
•   Innsbruck
•   Oberhof ( Thuringia )
•   St. Moritz - the longest and fastest natural track in the world
•   Turin - Built for the 2006 Winter Olympics
•   Winterberg ( North Rhine-Westphalia )
•   Paramonovo

Among the most important artificial routes (most built for the Winter Olympic Games ):

•   Calgary
•   Lake Placid
•   Lillehammer
•   Nagano
•   ^[1]
•   Do not speed
•   La plan
•   Salt Lake City
•   Sarajevo - now not used due to poor condition
•   Sigulda
•   Whistler
•   Sanki (Sochi)

Luge is operated by the International Luge Federation (FIL, Federation International de Luge de Course) ( official website ). The Federation is located in Germany, most of its representatives are Germans.

Presidents of the Federation were:

• Bert Isatish , Austria (1957-1994)
• Joseph Fendt , Germany (since 1994)

Sports equipment . Special suits that reduce wind resistance. Special toboggan gloves with spikes on the fingers help athletes accelerate at the start.

• Olympic tobogganing
• World Luge Championship
• Luge World Cup
• Bobsleigh
• Skeleton
• Naturban
• Toboggan

• Website of the International Luge Federation
• Official website of the Russian Luge Federation