A luge is a small one- or two-person sled on which one sleds supine (face-up) and feet-first. A luger begins seated, propelling themselves initially from handles on either side of the start ramp, then steers by using the calf muscles to flex the sled's runners or by exerting opposite shoulder pressure to the pod. Racing sleds weigh 21–25 kg (46–55 lb) for singles and 25–30 kg (55–66 lb) for doubles. Luge is also the name of an Olympic sport that employs that sled and technique.
Cesana Pariol was the venue for bobsleigh, luge and skeleton during the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy. The track, built for the games, is located in Cesana. The venue holds approximately 7,130 spectators, of whom 3,624 are seated.
The FIL European Luge Championships, part of the International Luge Federation (FIL) have taken place since 1914. From 1914 to 1934, these championships were part of the Internationaler Schlittensportsverband. From 1935 to 1956, the championships were held under the auspices of the Fédération Internationale de Bobsleigh et de Tobogganing. Since 1962, the event has been under the auspices of the FIL and has been held in even-numbered years since 1980. Since 2012, it is held annually within a preselected World Cup stages in the so-called race-in-race mode. The results of non-European athletes at these World Cup stages are not counted for European Championships standings.
The International Luge Federation (French: Fédération Internationale de Luge de Course(FIL); German: Internationaler Rennrodelverband) is the main international federation for all luge sports. Founded by 13 nations at Davos, Switzerland in 1957, it has members of 53 national luge associations as of 2009 and is based in Berchtesgaden, Germany. In reaction to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, in March 2022 the FIL banned all Russian athletes, coaches, and officials from its events, suspended all Russian officials appointed to its Commissions and Working Groups, and deemed Russia ineligible to host any of its events.
The FIL European Luge Championships 1914 took place in Reichenberg, Bohemia under the auspices of the Internationaler Schlittensportsverband, a forerunner to the International Luge Federation.
Josef Feistmantl was an Austrian luger who competed from the mid-1950s to the early 1970s. He competed at three Olympic Games.
The FIL World Luge Championships 2008 took place January 21-27, 2008 at the bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton track in Oberhof, Germany for the third time after having hosted the event in 1973 and 1985. The relay competition took the place of the team event that had been held at every world championship since 1989. This event had all of teams start at the same part of the track, then run down to the finish and tap on a relay marker to exchange from one slider on a team to the next with the fastest time winning.
The FIL European Luge Championships 2008 took place January 7-13, 2008 at the Cesana Pariol track in Cesana, Italy. The relay competition took the place of the team event that had been held at every European championship since 1988. This event had all teams start at the same part of the track, then run down to the finish and tap on a relay marker to exchange from one slider on a team to the next with the fastest time winning.
The Königssee bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton track is a venue in Germany for bobsleigh, luge and skeleton, located in Schönau am Königssee, Bavaria, near Königssee and the border with Austria. Completed 57 years ago in 1968, it is the first permanent, artificially refrigerated bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton track in the world. In July 2021, the track was severely damaged by the floods that affected the European continent, and is currently under reconstruction.
The Sigulda Bobsleigh and Luge Track is located in Sigulda, Latvia, built in 1986. Currently, the track manager is Dainis Dukurs, former bobsleigh brakeman and the father of skeleton racers Martins and Tomass Dukurs.
The Winterberg bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton track is a bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton track located in Winterberg, Germany. It is the only track of its kind in the world with a turn that has corporate sponsorship with turn seven being sponsored by Veltins, a German brewery which has its headquarters located in neighboring Meschede.
The doubles luge event at the 2010 Winter Olympics was held on 17 February at the Whistler Sliding Centre in Whistler, British Columbia. Twenty teams participated. Austrian brothers Andreas and Wolfgang Linger, the defending Olympic and European champions, won the gold medal. The silver medal was also won by a pair of brothers, Andris and Juris Šics of Latvia. Germans Patric Leitner and Alexander Resch clinched the bronze medal after edging out Italians Christian Oberstolz and Patrick Gruber, who were in third place after the first run.
The 2017 FIL World Luge Championships took place under the auspices of the International Luge Federation at the Olympic Sliding Centre Innsbruck in Innsbruck, Austria from 27 to 29 January 2017.
The 2020 FIL World Luge Championships were held from 14 to 16 February 2020 in Sochi, Russia.
The 2021 FIL European Luge Championships were held from 9 to 10 January 2021 in Sigulda, Latvia. This was the fifth time Sigulda hosted the event.
The 2022 FIL European Luge Championships were held from 22 to 23 January 2022 in St. Moritz, Switzerland.
The 2023 FIL European Luge Championships were held from 14 to 15 January 2023 in Sigulda, Latvia.
The 38th Junior World Luge Championships took place under the auspices of the International Luge Federation in Bludenz, Austria from 14 to 15 January 2023.
The 2023–24 Luge World Cup (official: Eberspächer Luge World Cup) was a multi-race series over a season of Luge, organised by International Luge Federation (FIL).
Austria*
Germany 
Italy 
Latvia 