Each competitor in the men’s and women’s singles events gets four trips around the track. The winner is determined by summing the four times and going with the lowest total.
Is There A Weight Limit For The Luge
Single Luge:
The duration of the competition is a whole two days (two runs per day). Especially on the second day, the Olympic Winter Games’ four-run format is meant to reward consistency, endurance, and pressure tolerance.
The men and women run on the same track, however the women begin their races at a later point in the sequence. The men’s course at Whistler Sliding Centre is roughly 0.85 miles long, while the women’s and pairs’ courses are both about.74 miles long.
Each sled and musher are weighed before each of the four races, and the athletes’ body temperatures are compared to those of an official “control” runner. The weight of the sled in singles competition cannot exceed 50.6, pounds. Athletes can be any weight they want, but only those under 198 pounds for men and 165 pounds for women are permitted to use extra weight for ballast.
There can be no more than three competitors from any one country competing in the men’s or women’s singles events, and the fields are split into four starting groups depending on the athletes’ performance in the last three World Cup races before the Olympics. Within each group of starters, bib numbers and starting places are selected at random.
Each group will start the second round in the opposite order from the first. In the third round, the fastest runner from the first two will go first, followed by the slowest runner. The quickest team from each heat competes last in the final round.
After the final run, the three medalists must submit to “sled control,” during which the entire vehicle is disassembled and inspected by officials for any unlawful procedures or materials.
Doubles Luge:
Competitors in a doubles luge event make two trips down the track in a single day. The winner is the participant with the lowest cumulative time. Traditionally, men have slid together, with the larger man positioned on top for a more aerodynamic fit, but there is no regulation stating that a doubles team must include of members of the same sex. With a length of.74 miles, the doubles course is quite manageable.
Each sled and athlete are weighed before each of the two doubles runs, and the runners’ body temperatures are compared to those of an official “control” runner. In doubles, the combined weight of the sled and its riders cannot exceed 59.4 pounds.
Each nation is allowed a maximum of two doubles pairs to compete in the Olympics, and the doubles competition is split into four starting groups depending on their performance in the three World Cup races immediately before the Games. Each group’s bib numbers and starting positions for the first run are assigned at random.
Based on the results of the first run, the teams will begin the second run in reverse rank order (the quickest team will go last). After the second and final run, the sleds of the gold, silver, and bronze medalist teams are checked. Disqualification occurs if the requirements are not met.
