Natural track tobogganing

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Natural track tobogganing - called luge on natural track by the international luge association FIL - is the most original sport of tobogganing and a variant of luge , which initially developed parallel to luge on artificial track and became a separate discipline in the 1960s. While Austria and Italy were the dominant nations in international racing up until the 1990s , other countries such as Russia , Germany , New Zealand , Poland and the Ukraine can now also boast considerable successes.

Natural track tobogganing - two-seater races as part of the first World Cup race of the 2014/15 season in Kühtai : Christoph Regensburger & Dominik Holzknecht
Thomas Kammerlander (AUT) World Cup in Zelezniki (SLO) - Overall World Cup winner for the 2019/2020 season

history

Up until the beginning of the 20th century, toboggan races were only driven on snow-covered forest paths, some of which had one to two meter high walls of snow on the outside of the curve. Starting in 1910, lanes were created especially for tobogganing and the excessive curves were frozen to make them passable for longer. The first artificial tracks were created. Since only a few such railways were available, one mostly continued to drive on forest roads that had no excessive curves. These natural tracks had a flat track sole. Until the 1960s, there was no formal separation between artificial and natural tobogganing and the athletes were not specialized. The same toboggans were used for both types of track and the competition regulations did not differ. Because of the small number of artificial tracks, most of the competitions took place on natural tracks; artificial tracks were not built until the 1950s. After the Olympic premiere in 1964, the development of artificial and natural tobogganing separated. All world and European championships held up to that point were subsequently counted as artificial track competitions, regardless of whether they were actually held on artificial track or, as is usually the case, on natural track. In 1966, the International Luge Federation (FIL) set up its own natural track commission that dealt exclusively with this sport. Separate competitions were held for natural track tobogganing, which is very popular in the Alpine countries. From 1967 there was the European Cup , in 1970 the first European Championship was held in Kapfenberg and in 1979 the first World Championship was held in Inzing . There has been a World Cup since 1992 , which is held in six races per season as in the international championships in the singles of men and women as well as in a doubles. There is also the Intercontinental Cup, which is mainly intended to promote the young. At world and European championships there is also a team competition with one singles for women and men and one doubles. European junior championships have existed since 1974, world junior championships since 1997. A rhythm has developed in which world championships and European junior championships are held in odd years and the European championships and the junior world championships in even years. Since the 2014/15 season there has been a replacement for the Intercontinental Cup (IC Cup), the FIL Junior World Cup Luge on Natural Track with 4 races, which are rated in the Junior I and Junior II classes. The International Luge Federation has been trying to get natural track luge recognized as an Olympic discipline since the 1970s , but so far all attempts to get this sport included in the program of the Olympic Games have failed.

Technology, equipment and driving technique

Luge «natural track luge» with deck rails and steering belt

A natural track toboggan consists of a seat mat, two undivided seat frames, two runners and two running rails. The running rails must neither be flexible nor divided across. The outer edges must have a break. The track width is a maximum of 450 mm (maximum 400 mm for young people). The width of the complete slide must not exceed 600 mm. The clearance angle of the running rails may not exceed 45 ° for single-seaters, 40 ° for double-seaters and 35 ° for youth luge.

Weight of the sports equipment:

  • Youth m. and w. (Age 7-14): 12 kg
  • Juniors m. and w. (Age 15-20): 14 kg
  • Women and men (age 21 and over): 14 kg
  • Two-seater (age 15+): 20 kg

The specified weights are maximum weights and include the attached accessories.

The athletes wear special shoes. The shoes are provided with spikes firmly mounted on a plate. The length and number of spikes can be freely selected. In addition, protective helmets, racing suits and special gloves with steel spikes on the inner and outer surfaces of the finger parts are worn.

At the start, the athlete accelerates the sled with paddle strokes. The slide is controlled by shifting weight - especially the arms - with the feet and with straps attached to the ends of the runners. The installation of footrests is permitted, the use of mechanical braking devices is prohibited. The start takes place sitting on an icy launch ramp, which is provided with two ribbed handles. At the start, the weight and dimensions of the sled, the temperature of the rails and the fastening of the start number are checked. Competitors need a valid license. Driving times are taken to hundredths of a second. After a fall, the pilots are allowed to continue their journey on their own. Competitions take place in all weather conditions up to a temperature of - 25 ° C. In the case of lower temperatures, the race director is responsible for deciding whether to hold the competition.

Lanes

Parallel World Cup route Seiseralm (ITA)

Natural tracks are partly built on existing paths, but also on specially created areas and must of course be adapted to the given terrain. They are demarcated with wooden boards, plastic walls or foam mats and only prepared with snow and water (ice). The lanes must have a minimum width of 3 m and the curves have a minimum radius of seven meters from the center of the lane. In contrast to artificial tracks, they must not be excessive. The usual lengths of these natural tracks are between 800 and 1200 m, they must not exceed an average gradient of 13% and a maximum gradient of 25%. The natural track must have at least the following elements: • a left bend • a right bend • a bend (left and right) • a combination of bends • a straight line The use of temporarily installable cooling systems (e.g. cooling mats) to freeze the track (short stretches or parts thereof) is permitted. Agents or additives that are used to support the icing of the track floor must be environmentally friendly in terms of type, amount and form of application. Artificially elevated curves are not permitted. The sole of the curve should be horizontal.

Shortened tracks, on which international competitions can be held with special permission from the FIL, must have a length of at least 400 m. Trial races were held on such shortened routes in the 2015/16 season (city event in Moscow, Junior World Cup Seiseralm). The parallel competitions, which will be on the program in ski areas or as city events in the future, have been resumed. Such routes (for example in Kühtai / Tyrol) reach a length of max. 300 m. Cooling systems for icing the tracks are not permitted, only the "track soles" may be stabilized with environmentally friendly chemical additives. The use of temporarily installable cooling systems (for example cooling mats) to freeze the railway (short distances or parts thereof) is permitted. Agents or additives that are used to support the icing of the track floor must be environmentally friendly in terms of type, amount and form of application. Artificially elevated curves are not permitted. The sole of the curve should be horizontal. More than 50 natural toboggan runs are mainly in use in Italy, Austria and Germany, plus there are runs in Russia, Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, Finland, Sweden, Norway, the Czech Republic, Turkey, Croatia, New Zealand, Slovenia, Slovakia, Switzerland and Liechtenstein as well as Canada and the USA. There are also around 1,000 natural runs for recreational tobogganers. In the meantime, almost every larger ski area in the Central Alps has specially prepared toboggan runs or toboggan runs.

organization

Natural track tobogganing is represented internationally within the Fédération Internationale de Luge de Course (FIL). In Germany, natural tobogganing is organized by the Bobsleigh and Sled Association for Germany (BSD), in Austria by the Austrian Toboggan Association (ÖRV), in Switzerland by Swiss Sliding , in South Tyrol / Italy by the winter sports association FISI and in Liechtenstein by the Liechtenstein Toboggan Association. In terms of racing, athletes from the following nations currently practice this sport: Italy, Austria, Russia, Switzerland, Germany, USA, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, France, Argentina, Brazil, Great Britain, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Turkey, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzogovina, Romania, Bulgaria, Moldova, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Finland, Norway and Sweden.

Competitions

Continental championships for women and men in even years annually Exception: North American championships. Continental junior championships in odd years

Disciplines

Championships and competitions are held in the following disciplines: women - singles men - singles doubles team competition

Eligibility to participate

World Championships: Women’s singles: 4 + 1 men’s singles: 5 + 1 doubles: 3 + 1 Continental championships *: Women’s singles: 4 + 1 men’s singles: 5 + 1 doubles: 3 + 1 continental June championships: women - Singles: 4 men singles: 5 doubles: 3 World Cup: women singles: 3 men singles: 4 doubles: 3rd

  • Exception: North American championships with no restriction on the number of participants.

At championships and international competitions in the general class, the athletes must be of the minimum age (year of the event minus 15).

Evaluation runs

WM / JWM: singles: 3 doubles: 2 continental championships: singles: 2 doubles: 2 world cups singles: 2 doubles: 2 junior world cups singles: 2 doubles: 1st

variants

Roller tobogganing

A variant of natural track tobogganing is horn sledging . Three people drive here: a pilot (also called a driver or helmsman), a brakeman and a “rucksack” (also called a runner). The horn sledge was originally a work tool used by mountain farmers, who used it to transport their hay into the valley or to transport felled wood to the farm. Today's sledge is a movable piece of sports equipment and is equipped with a bar brake. For over a decade, the FIL (International Luge Association) hosted a European Cup from 2000 to 2013 and from 1995 to 2013 a European champion was chosen every two years. The races are mainly held in the Alpine countries of Austria, Italy, Germany, Slovenia and Switzerland. At the end of the 2012/2013 season, the FIL discontinued horn sledding as a competitive sport.

Roller tobogganing

A variant that is occasionally operated in summer is roller tobogganing . This is presented by the Luge Federation and its regional associations at demonstration events such as sports seminars. The aim is to bring interested boys and girls closer to sledding. Instead of the rails of a luge, up to 20 rollers are usually mounted on the sled with the help of bearings and supports, which enable driving on closed roads. For example, shoes with parts of car tires stuck on are used to brake into curves. Rubberized gloves serve as protective gloves. A homologated helmet protects the head. The race tracks have lengths of around 800 - 1200 m with an average gradient of 10 - 12%. Braking points and curves are secured with protective walls. The maximum speeds are 90 km / h. Single-seater and double-seater in the age groups from schoolchildren to senior citizens are used. For many winter sports enthusiasts, this is a technical, physical and mental preparation for natural track luge. However, there are no official competitions in the sport.

Although an “International Sledge Sport Union” (ISSU) was founded in Innsbruck, this is not an official sporting umbrella organization due to a lack of recognition by Sportaccord or ARISF . The ISSU organizes competitions in horn sled races and roller luge races.

Web links

Commons : Natural track tobogganing  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Tobogganing on the natural track: sporting development . Austrian Toboggan Association (PDF; 118 kB)
  2. ↑ a b toboggan history . Website of the toboggan section of the SC Riessersee .
  3. ↑ International Luge Regulations Natural Track (Version 2008) (PDF, 314 kB, p. 4)
  4. ↑ Harald Steyrer, Herbert Wurzer, Egon Theiner: 50 Years FIL 1957–2007. The history of the International Luge Federation in three volumes . tape I . Egoth Verlag, Vienna 2007, ISBN 978-3-902480-46-0 , p. 186, 187, 200, 221, 269, 320, 351, 369 .
  5. ↑ [1]
  6. ↑ a b International Luge Regulations Natural Track (Version 2008) (PDF, 314 kB, p. 15)
  7. ↑ International Luge Regulations Natural Track (Version 2008) (PDF, 314 kB, p. 12)
  8. ↑ International Luge Regulations Natural Track (Version 2008) (PDF, 314 kB, p. 3)
  9. ↑ International Luge Regulations Natural Track (Version 2008) (PDF, 314 kB, p. 24)
  10. ↑ International Luge Regulations Natural Track (Version 2008) (PDF, 314 kB, p. 23)
  11. ↑ International Luge Regulations Natural Track (Version 2014)
  12. ↑ Overview of the natural tracks on the FIL website
  13. ↑ Development of horn sledging in Austria Austrian Toboggan Association (PDF, 53kb)
  14. ↑ Natural track presented at the Sportforum Mals By: FIL
  15. ↑ Season end report natural track 2016/2017 From: Bavarian Bobsleigh and Sleigh Sports Association
  16. ↑ - ( Memento of the original from July 1, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.issu.at
  17. ↑ Basic information roller tobogganing Austrian Toboggan Association