Luge

Expect some scorching speeds and crazy spills when luge athletes hit the fastest track in the world at Whistler Sliding Centre. Medals will be decided by one-thousandths of a second and one mistake will blow any chance of reaching the podium.

The sport of luge involves competitors propelling the luge forward, at the start in a sitting position gathering speed by paddling their hands and then lying back to wind their way down through the corners.

The modern version of luge can trace its origins back to the pastime of tobogganing down hills. Luge is the French word for sled, and historical findings point to the existence of sleds, as early as AD 800 when the Vikings used them in the Slagen countryside near the Oslo Fjord.

An Australian student George Robertson won what is reputed to be the world’s first international sled race, in 1883 in Davos, Switzerland. He outslid 19 other competitors from England, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland and the United States on a four kilometre stretch of road from St. Wolfgang to Klosters to share the victory with Klosters mailman Peter Minsch.

It was not till 72 years later that 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, Switzerland.

The luge was included in the Winter Olympic program for the first time at Innsbruck 1964 and has remained on the program ever since. Women have competed in this event from the start, but so far only in singles, though following Albertville there have been no regulations preventing women from competing in doubles.

Australia and luge

Three Australians have competed at the Olympic Games in luge and Hannah Campbell-Pegg from Sydney will be Australia’s first luge dual-Olympian.

Diana Ogle was the first Australian to represent her country in this sport. She competed at Albertville 1992 and flew down the track to place 21st from 24 contenders. At the following Olympics, Roger White became the first male to represent Australia, placing 32nd at Lillehammer 1994.

It was another 12 years before Campbell-Pegg finished 23rd at Torino in 2006. She hopes to crack it into the top 20 in Vancouver.

Competition Format

The format of luge across the three events is very simple.

Singles competitions are decided on the aggregate time of four runs over two consecutive days, while doubles luge is a one-day competition of two runs. Each run counts, and the fastest total time determines the winner. Luge is one of two sports at the Winter Olympics (along with short track speed skating) that is timed to the thousandth of a second. Maximum weight of the sled is specified, and the temperature of the runners monitored.