Luge is not huge. Many do not know the sport, but it is widely accepted as the fastest sport in the Olympics, with Felix Loch setting the record speed at 95.68 mph.
It is an ice sport in which the athlete lies on their back on a sled and slides down an icy chute at around 75–90 mph at the Olympic level, navigating a track filled with steep banks and sharp curves.
With that speed comes significant risk, and lugers take on a great deal of risk when flying down tracks that fast. At those speeds, lugers are just inches above the ice and can experience, on average, 5-6 Gs of force. For reference, standard fighter-pilot maneuvers expose pilots to 4-6 Gs of force.
Injuries in luge can range from minor cuts and bruises to serious crashes that can result in broken bones and concussions. Strict safety measures have been implemented in the sport to avoid these potential injuries, including qualified coaches, helmets and pads for lugers, and continuous checks of ice and track conditions.
First included in the Olympics in 1964, this year 106 athletes qualified representing 19 nations. This represents the lowest number of participating nations since the 1984 games, but it is not an easy sport to learn. The options in Pennsylvania are limited. Blue Mountain ski resort had a track but no longer advertises it on its website. The next closest thing might be the Eagles Mere Toboggan Slide way out in Sullivan County.
To learn more, we called all the way out to Michigan.
Daniel Bonner is the lead program director at Muskegon Luge Adventure Sports Park. He trains year-round to stay prepared for the luge season.
“When I’m not sliding on the ice I like to work on my upper body strength in my garage gym. This helps with my pull starts and carrying my sled back up the hill. I lift weights throughout the off-season to get myself into peak physical condition for luge season,” he said.
Getting to the world stage requires a commitment to training on another level. “It could take many years to reach the Olympic level. Kids often get started in the sports as young as 11 or 12 years old. Kids that succeed on our luge track in Muskegon have the opportunity to participate in a screening with USA Luge in Lake Placid. If they move on to train with the Junior National team they could spend the next decade training and competing before they get an opportunity to compete on the Olympic stage,” Bonner said.
Now that’s dedication.
The biggest factor that separates Olympic-level lugers from others is their drive and commitment to the sport and perfecting their craft.
When watching luge, it may look like just sledding to the majority of us, but experienced lugers like Bonner see another side to these athletes’ incredible skills. “[Viewers should appreciate] the dedication of luge athletes. Many athletes have devoted their entire adult lives to competing at the Olympic level. They’ve sacrificed family time and growing up near their home and school with friends for the love of the sport. The passion and dedication is quite amazing.”
As for the Olympics , “[Viewers should appreciate] the dedication of luge athletes. Many athletes have devoted their entire adult lives to competing at the Olympic level. They’ve sacrificed family time and growing up near their home and school with friends for the love of the sport. The passion and dedication is quite amazing,” according to Bonner.
Behind every Olympic run is decades of training, sacrifice, and conquered fears, all for an event that lasts less than a minute but reaches speeds faster than cars on a highway: the world’s fastest sport on ice.
