Luge is a one or two person sport where participants race a small sled, feet-first down an iced incline. The sled is steered by flexing the sled's runners with the calf of each leg or exerting opposite shoulder pressure to the seat.

Luge is yet another winter sport invented in crazy St. Moritz, Switzerland. One or two people use a small sled to slide down a frozen track in the quickest amount of time possible. Lugers must go down the track feet-first and cannot finish without the sled. Caution should be used, as luge is a fast, dangerous sport.

Use a sled to reach the end of a frozen track in the quickest amount of time possible.

The luge can be a singles or doubles sport. Lugers must depart from the start handles within a given amount of time. Lugers must ride in a flat, feet-first position and are required to arrive at the finish with the sled, in sledding position. If need be, lugers can stop during a run and continue on the track after repositioning their sled. Sleds must adhere to strict weight guidelines, which vary based on track length. Lugers must also adhere to strict weight guidelines. The luger that completes the course in the quickest amount of time is the winner.

Luge, like skeleton and bobsled, originated in St. Moritz, Switzerland in the mid-19th century. The danger posed to pedestrians by tourists wildly sledding down streets, led to the construction of a frozen track. The first organized races were held in Switzerland in 1883. The International Sled Sports Federation was founded in 1913 to serve as a governing body for the sport. The first world championships were held in Oslo, Norway in 1955. In 1957 the International Luge Federation was founded and became the sport's new governing body. In 1964 luge events were included in the Winter Olympic Games. Today luge is a popular competitive winter sport, played in a number of countries around the world.

Boots
Gloves
Helmet
Racing Suit
Sled

Luge can be extremely dangerous due to the high speeds involved. Beginners should master smaller tracks prior to attempting more advanced tracks.

Lugers must have excellent vision and reflexes. Any experience riding a sled or maneuvering small vehicles at high speeds is beneficial.

Paddling - driving the luge sled forward at the start of the race while wearing spiked gloves to dig into the ice

Sturz - German for "crash"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luge