luge- this is one of winter views sport, the purpose of which is the descent in the shortest time on a sled along a prepared track. The main difference between this sport and skeleton is that during the downhill skiing, the athlete lies on the sled on his back, not on his stomach, and, as a result, controls the change in body position (due to a shift in the center of gravity), and not the toes of his boots. Thanks to these differences, luge is safer.
Sledges are single and double, and their weight, design, temperature of the runners are strictly limited by the rules, however, as well as the equipment and weight of the participants. Competitions are held among women, men and couples (participants of a couple are not regulated, but most often they are two men). Athletes start from a sitting position, and after repulsion, they lie down on the sled. The winner in individual competitions is determined by the shortest total time of 4 races, and in doubles - by the total time of 2 races. The athlete must cross the finish line with his equipment, therefore, when falling from the sled, it is allowed to stop, sit on them again and continue the descent. During professional tournaments on quality tracks, the sled accelerates to 140 km/h.
Tracks are artificial (sometimes with the function of ice cooling) and natural (usually with 15-20 turns). In Russia, there are only a few routes that meet modern requirements. Among them are Paramonovskaya (40 km from Moscow) and Sochi (equipped in preparation for the future Olympic Games).
The secret to a faster descent is better acceleration and reduced air resistance (aerodynamics). For better acceleration during repulsion, specialized gloves with spikes on the fingers are used. To optimize aerodynamics, there are streamlined suits, chin-length helmets, and even smooth-soled shoes. Sledges are also constantly being improved. At the end of 2012, the Russian national team and the automobile company Marusya Motors signed a cooperation contract after a number of successful performances by the luger Albert Demchenko, in which he used the sled of this company.
Definition of sport
Luge is a competition in downhill skiing on a single or double sledge along a pre-prepared track. One of the most extreme Olympic winter sports. Athletes sit on the sled on their backs, feet first. The sleigh is controlled by changing the position of the body.
Short description basic principles, features of the sport.
The rules of luge are quite simple - the athlete who completes the track in the shortest time wins. The competitor must start within a certain time after the course has cleared. The start is of great importance for the initial acceleration, giving a successful starter a significant advantage in time. Total time athlete consists of the results of two or more races.
The weight of the sled and their device are regulated. The temperature of the skids must also be within 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.
Luge competitions are held among singles and couples. Formally, women can compete in pairs, but in fact almost all pair competitions are held among men. At major tournaments, team competitions are held in which the team consists of a man, a woman and a couple. Competitions on a single sledge consist of 4 races, on a double sledge - from two races. Each of these races is evaluated. The time shown in each race is summed up. The winner is the one who ends up with the most best time.
A brief description of the history of occurrence.
Downhill on the toboggan, a worthless wooden sled common among Canadian Indians, is the ancestor of one of the oldest winter sports. Toboggans were used by the Indians to transport goods by hand or with the help of dogs, sometimes for riding from the mountains.
olympic competitions in luge
Naturban World Championship
Faces and personalities of the sport of the Russian Federation.
Leonid Gart, President of the Russian Luge Federation
Sergey Shvidenko, Executive Director of the Luge Federation of Russia
Valery Silakov, First Vice President, Acting head coach of the Russian national luge team
Thematic Resources
http://rusluge.ru/ — Russian Luge Federation
http://www.fil-luge.org/ - International Luge Federation
http://my-olymp.ru/
http://ws-news.ru/
http://wintergame.com/
http://naturban.ucoz.net/
http://naturbahn.narod.ru/
Sources
http://www.rusbob.ru/
http://rusluge.ru/
Luge and skeleton is the name of winter sports that involve downhill sleighing along a specially equipped track. Although the tracks for skeleton and luge are the same, the sled itself and the position of the athletes are very different. In the first, the athlete rides head first, face down, in the second, head up and feet first.
luge
This is a downhill competition on a single or double sleigh along a pre-prepared track. Athletes sit on the sled on their backs, feet first. The sleigh is controlled by changing the position of the body.
Sleigh construction
Sports sleds are a kind of "seat-bed", to the bottom of which racks with metal skids are attached. The racks themselves can be wooden or plastic, protrude far forward and have a large upward bend with a slight inclination inward. The parameters of the sled are strictly regulated, as in all sled disciplines.
Athlete position
The luger lies on his back, legs forward in the direction of travel, stretched out "in line" to reduce air resistance. The head and legs "hang" beyond the "seat". Since the descent lasts only 1.5-2 minutes, this position can be held without difficulty. The sled is controlled using a belt attached to the bends of the runners, as well as by changing the position of the athlete's body. During the descent, the athlete practically does not see where he is going.
Tracks
The same as for skeleton and bobsleigh. The length of the route is an average of one and a half kilometers. Number of turns 15-20. The speed reaches 140-150 km / h. Men start from the very top of the track, women and “two” crews are three turns lower. For the Olympics in Sochi, a luge and bobsleigh complex was built, the length of which is 1814 meters.
Competitions
There are three types - individual men's and women's, pair crew competitions and team competitions. Competitions are held in two days, every day athletes make 2 descents. Competitions on a double sledge (there are only men's) are held on one day, athletes make 2 races. IN team competition the team consists of 1 man, 1 woman and 1 couple. The winner in all types is determined by the shorter total time of all races.
At the World and European Championships are allowed from the country
On Olympic Games Oh
Luge is governed by the International Luge Federation (FIL, Federation International de Luge de Course).
The sport of downhill sledding and at the same time the name sports equipment- special sledges. According to one version, the root of the word "skele" comes from a misreading of the Norwegian word "Kjaelke" (sledge), according to another - from the word "skeleton".
The skeleton is a flat frame, on the bottom of which are attached two metal skate skids for sliding on the ice of the track. On top of the frame there are two handles for which the athlete holds. Front and rear on the sides of the frame there are special protrusions-bumpers that protect the athlete from colliding with the sides of the ice trough during turns. The parameters of the sleigh and athletes are regulated:
Athlete position
The athlete lies on the skeleton head down and forward in the direction of movement. The projectile is controlled by legs. On the toes of the athlete's shoes there are special spikes with which he slows down in order to maneuver. When accelerating, the sleigh picks up speed up to 40 km / h, and the maximum speed reaches 130 km / h. After acceleration, the athlete lies on the sled with his stomach down and slides down the track. When moving, the arms should be extended along the body.
Tracks
Specially equipped ice tracks with artificial ice surface. For skeleton competitions, the same tracks are used as for bobsleigh. The length of the route is within 1200-2000 meters. The first 25 - 40 meters is the acceleration section, where the athlete runs, pushing the sled. The slope of the first 250 meters of the track should provide the athlete with acceleration to 100 km/h. The last 100-150 meters of the course should have a slope of no more than 12% so that the athlete can stop calmly. Altitude difference - not less than 100 meters.
Competitions
Skeleton competitions are held among men and women. Athletes do 2 descents in one day or four descents in two days - at the World Championships and the Olympic Games. Winners are determined by the smallest amount of time of all descents.
Full requirements for athletes, sports equipment and conditions for skeleton competitions are described in the Rules of the International Bobsleigh and Toboggan Federation (FIBT).
Briefly for memorization
The athlete lies on the sled on his stomach with his head forward in the direction of travel.
luge
The athlete lies on the sled on his back with his head back in the direction of travel.
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- the weight of the sleigh for one athlete is not more than 22 kg
- the weight of the sleigh for two athletes is not more than 24 kg
- length 124-150 cm depending on the athlete
- track width - 45 cm
- skeleton length 80-120 cm
- distance between skids 34-38 cm
- the maximum allowable weight of the sleigh for men is 43 kg
- the maximum allowable weight of the sled for women is 35 kg
- athlete's weight is not higher than 115 kg for men and 92 kg for women
- the sled is adjusted to the individual parameters of the athlete
luge is a competition, the essence of which is downhill. The means of transportation are either single or double sleds. Athletes lie on their backs on the sled feet first and descend the mountain. The control is performed by the movement of the body. That is, by moving the weight of the body, the athlete can change the direction of the sled.
According to historians, luge, or rather just sleigh riding, began to exist as early as 800 BC. It happened in the area of the town of Slagen, not far from the Oslo Ford. Back in those days, the Vikings used sleds that were equipped with two skids and were so similar to modern ones.
As a sport, sledding originated in Switzerland. In Davos, in 1879, the first 4-kilometer-long track was built, which became the venue for the sleigh race. And just 4 years later, the very first tournament in this sport was held here.
As the years passed, luge became more and more popular. And so, the day came - it happened in 1964, when luge was accepted into the program of the Olympic Games - and sleds became a favorite kind winter sports million.
Luge is perhaps the most extreme of all winter sports at the Olympic Games. As mentioned above, this is a descent from the mountain on a single or double sledge. This descent takes place on an artificially made track. Athlete starts in sitting position, and after it pushes off, it lies down and rapidly rushes down. The sled is controlled by shifting the center of gravity of the body of the athlete himself. On the descent, the speed of the sled can reach up to 140 km / h, which in itself is not very safe, so athletes need to be extremely careful.
The program of the Olympic Games in luge includes individual competitions for women only in single sledges, and for men in single and double sledges. As a rule, competitions are held on the same track, however, in the situation with women and men on a double sled, a shorter distance must be overcome.
Competitions for men, as well as for women on a single sledge, are usually held for 2 days. Every day, athletes need to carry out 2 races. At the end of the competition, the results of all races are added up, and the total result is displayed. The athlete who will have the lowest total result and win.
The men's double sleigh competition lasts one day and includes 2 runs. The winner is usually determined by the sum of the two results. The owner of the shortest time becomes the leader. It is believed that only men should take part in the double sleigh race. However, the rules do not say that the crew must be of the same sex. That is, if a couple consisting of a man and a woman tries to take part in the competition, then, in theory, nothing can prevent her.
And in general, luge, although dangerous, is quite an interesting spectacle that can make even the most phlegmatic fan empathize.
Well, who did not ride a sled as a child! What a dashing fun it is - to saddle a sleigh and rush down the mountain along the snowy rolled crust, so that only the eyes shine, and the cheeks turn red. Not only kids but also adults love it winter fun, with pleasure they are waiting for the snow season, when it gets frosty, and you can go up the hill.
Those who especially fell in love with sledding back in school age opens the way to the world professional sports, where the same reckless lugers have been competing for fifty years in who will go down the mountain faster. And more than one hundred and twenty years have passed since the first competitive sleigh descents from the mountain.
Sledges, as such, appeared so long ago that even history does not remember, because it was before the invention of the wheel. The word "sleigh" is of Slavic origin, because "sleigh" meant a snake, a snake, because it is with a crawl that any sleigh advances. Those sledges served for transportation, and not only in the snow. Evolution has made a lot of changes with sleds, so today's sports sled is like a high-tech projectile, and for good reason.
The first sports sledges were the prototype of all modern sports rides from the mountain, and this is luge, bobsleigh and skeleton, they were assembled from wooden elements, and the runners were lined with thin metal ribbons. The sleigh was steered with the help of a rope "steering wheel", which children's sleds are still equipped with.
Sledge for modern sports covered with a fiberglass shell on top, and have clear weight parameters: for singles - 23 kg, for greenhouses - 27 kg. The shape of the sled is streamlined, the bed for the athlete is made in a shape similar to a shovel, while the body fits in it very ergonomically, and the handles on the sides of the sled serve to control them. The skids are made of metal and should only come into contact with the ice. It is to this part of the projectile that every luger has the most reverent attitude, and the alloys from which the blades are made should create the least friction. Their composition is often kept in big secret. At the top, the runners end with curls into which the luger places his legs to fix himself on the sled. As you can see, this is really an aerodynamic projectile capable of developing high speed when rolling down inclined surface, namely more than 140 km / h. Sometimes the car also travels at a lower speed.
The sleigh track is also a very remarkable structure. You can read more about the arrangement of the luge track in the article "",. We can confidently say that this is a high-tech and complex structure that must be in perfect condition at all times, because the speeds and loads experienced by the athlete during the descent along the ice chute are impressive. The overload that occurs at the moment of greatest acceleration is 5G, that is, the athlete feels as if there was an increase in body weight by 5 times. This can be compared with the average workload of an astronaut during training.
The competition program includes races for men and women, and men have single and double races, women perform only solo. In Sochi-2014, a team relay race is added to the luge competition for the first time.
The length of the track is also different for them, only the men's single race is made from the very top of the track, and this is about 1250 m of the ice trough. Pairs and women start 250 - 400 m lower.
Lugers start on sleighs, to accelerate they push off from metal handles at the start, and then help themselves with studded gloves. A few meters after the start, the luger assumes a prone position, head back, his task is to control the sled in such a way as to move with maximum speed. The control is performed with the help of a minimal movement of the body and the movement of the legs of the athlete. If you apply the wrong effort, on such high speed, you can tip over, which is very dangerous. Therefore, the luge suit withstands a high coefficient of friction, and the head is necessarily protected by a fiberglass helmet.
These are the "sledding" now among professional Olympians, among whom Russian athletes are traditionally strong, because at the competitions high level in luge by Soviet and Russian athletes 12 gold, 14 silver and 13 bronze awards have already been won.
We wish them good luck at the upcoming Winter Olympics - 2014 in Sochi!
