A luge is a small one- or two-person sled on which one sleds supine and feet-first. A luger steers by using the calf muscles to flex the sled's runners or by exerting opposite shoulder pressure to the seat. 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.
Georg Hackl is a German former luger who was three time Olympic and World Champion. He is known affectionately as Hackl-Schorsch or as the Speeding Weißwurst a reference to what he looks like in his white bodysuit coming down the luge at fast speeds.
Jan-Armin Eichhorn is a German luger who has competed since 1999. He won the bronze medal in the men's singles event at the 2007 FIL World Luge Championships in Igls, Austria.
Armin Zöggeler OMRI is a retired Italian luger and double Olympic champion. He is one of the most successful men in the sport, nicknamed Il Cannibale, for his notable series of victories, or The Iceblood Champion, for his always cold, rational approach to the races. Fellow luger Tucker West described Zöggeler as the sport's equivalent of Michael Jordan.
Gerhard Plankensteiner is an Italian luger who competed from 1986 to 2010. Together with Oswald Haselrieder he won the bronze medal in the men's doubles event at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin.
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.
The International Luge Federation 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.
The FIL European Luge Natural Track Championships, part of the International Luge Federation (FIL), have taken place since 1970. A team event was added for the 2010 championships. For information on luge championships in Europe that have been contested since 1914, please see FIL European Luge Championships.
Paul Hildgartner is an Italian luger who competed from the early 1970s to the late 1980s. Competing in five Winter Olympics, he earned two gold medals and one silver medal for his efforts. At the 1984 Winter Olympics, Hildgartner carried the Italian flag during the opening ceremonies.
Angelika Neuner is an Austrian luger who competed from 1987 to 2002. Competing in four Winter Olympics, she won two medals in the women's singles event with a silver in 1992 and a bronze in 1998. Her younger sister, Doris, won the gold medal in the same event at Albertville in 1992.
Josef Feistmantl was an Austrian luger who competed from the mid-1950s to the early 1970s. He competed at three Olympic Games.
Walter Plaikner is an Italian former luger and coach of Austrian descent who competed in the late 1960s and early 1970s. He was a doubles specialist, and competed alongside Paul Hildgartner. They won the gold medal in the men's doubles event at the 1972 Winter Olympics in Sapporo. Plaikner also competed at the 1976 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck, where he finished 11th in the doubles after suffering from a severe bout of flu. He retired from competition after the Games.
David Möller is a German former luger who competed from 2001 to 2014. He won six medals at the FIL World Luge Championships with four golds, one silver, and one bronze
Christian Oberstolz is an Italian luger who has competed since 1997. He won seven medals at the FIL World Luge Championships with two silvers and five bronzes.
Peter Penz is an Austrian former luger who competed between 2003 and 2018. He and doubles partner Georg Fischler took two medals at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyongchang: a silver in the doubles competition and a bronze in the team relay. They were also gold medallists in the doubles at the 2012 European Luge Championships in Paramonovo. In addition the pair took six medals at the FIL World Luge Championships: four in the doubles and two in mixed team competitions.
Georg Fischler is an Austrian former luger who competed between 2003 and 2018. He and doubles partner Peter Penz took two medals at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyongchang: a silver in the doubles competition and a bronze in the team relay. They were also gold medallists in the doubles at the 2012 European Luge Championships in Paramonovo. In addition the pair took six medals at the FIL World Luge Championships: four in the doubles and two in mixed team competitions.
Juris Šics is a Latvian luger. He competed in the 2006, 2010 and 2014 Winter Olympics, and won a silver medal in the men's doubles event in 2010 and two bronze medals in 2014, alongside his teammate and younger brother Andris Šics. The Šics brothers' three medals mean they have won more Olympic medals than any other Latvian sportsperson.
Andris Šics is a Latvian luger. He competed in the 2006, 2010 and 2014 Winter Olympics, and won a silver medal in the men's doubles event in 2010 and two bronze medals in 2014, alongside his teammate and elder brother Juris Šics. The Šics brothers' three medals mean they have won more Olympic medals than any other Latvian sportsperson.
The Olympic Sliding Centre Innsbruck is a venue for bobsleigh, luge and skeleton located in Igls, Austria. The most recent version of the track was completed in 1975 and is the first permanent, combination artificially refrigerated bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton track, serving as a model for other tracks of its kind worldwide. It hosted the bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton competitions for the 2012 Winter Youth Olympics.
The 2015 FIL European Luge Championships took place under the auspices of the International Luge Federation at Sochi, Russia from 27 February to 1 March 2015.
