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List of natural luge tracks

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Natural luge tracks are tracks that are used for naturbahn (from the German "natural track") luge competitions. Tracks are often located along mountain roads and paths. The track surface is made of packed snow and ice, with a slope of not more than 15%. Unlike its Olympic counterpart "kunstbahn" (artificial track) luge, natural tracks are to be adapted to the natural conditions. Artificial refrigeration and banked curves are not permitted.

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 delimited with wooden bands, plastic walls or foam mats and only prepared with snow and water (ice). The lanes must have a minimum width of 3 m (10 ft) and the curves must have a minimum radius of seven meters. The usual lengths of these natural tracks are between 400 and 1,200 m (1,300 and 3,900 ft), they must not exceed an average gradient of 13% and a maximum gradient of 25%.

In contrast to the artificial tracks, the cross-section of natural tracks is level - not banked in curves. This type of track leads to significantly more body movement by the athlete to navigate the turns, and the use of braking spikes on the athlete's shoes for control.

The natural track should have at least the following elements:

  • a left turn
  • a right turn
  • a hairpin (left and right)
  • a combination of curves
  • a straight

Parallel competitions (approximately 300 m, 1,000 ft), chase races (300 to 600 m, 1,000 to 2,000 ft) and city races (approximately 400 m, 1,300 ft) are held on shortened tracks. From the 2015–16 season there are trial runs (city event in Moscow, Junior World Cup Seiseralm) and parallel competitions in ski areas (for example in Kühtai / Tyrol and on the Seiseralm / Italy).[1] Artificially excessive curves are not permitted: the curve base is to be horizontal.

More than 50 natural toboggan runs are mainly used in Italy, Austria, and Germany. In addition there are runs in Russia, Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, Finland, Sweden, Norway, the Czech Republic, Turkey, Croatia, New Zealand, Slovenia, Ukraine, Slovakia, Switzerland, France, and Liechtenstein as well as Canada and the United States.[2]

The most well-known natural track in the United States is in Michigan, hosted by the Upper Peninsula Luge Club.[3] Canada has tracks in Hinton,[4] Grande Prairie, and Calgary in Alberta, as well as a track at the Ontario Luge Club at the Calabogie Peaks resort.[5] The track in Naseby, New Zealand, is the only one in the southern hemisphere.[6]

Below is a list of all natural luge tracks of FIL member countries.

Track Country Length (m) Vertical Drop (m) Average Grade (%) Number of curves Reference(s)
Aflenz  Austria 1040 136 13.9 17 [1]
Albertville  France [2]
Aosta Valle del Gran San Bernardo  Italy [3]
Aurach  Austria 1080 157 14.7 11 [4]
Avers  Switzerland [5]
Brigels  Switzerland [6]
Bruneck-Reischach  Italy
Calgary  Canada [7]
Canale d'Agordo  Italy
Campill  Italy 1147 132 11.6 Not listed [8]
Davos  Switzerland [iscd-davos.ch/]
Delnice  Croatia 417 [9]
Deutschnofen  Italy 871 121 13 Not listed [10]
Dolenja Vas  Slovenia 1102 151 13.5 19 [11]
Dornbirn  Austria 830 72 14 14 [12]
Feld am See  Austria 1080 170 15.74 Not listed [13]
Fenis  Italy
Frankenfels  Austria 1197 177 14.8 15 [14]
Frantschach  Austria Not listed Not listed Not listed 21 [15]
Gais-Uttenheim  Italy 1200 128 10.67 Not listed [16]
Garmisch-Partenkirchen  Germany 1100 153 13.9 17 [17]
Gołdap  Poland
Grande Prairie  Canada 980 125 12.7 14 [18]
Grindelwald  Switzerland [19]
Gsies  Italy
Hinton  Canada [20]
Gummer  Italy
Hüttau  Austria 893 121 13.5 18 [21], [22]
Hol  Norway
Jesenice  Slovenia [www.sazs.si/]
Kindberg  Austria 950 126 13.22 12 [23], [24]
Kreuth  Germany 1400 190 13.6 Not listed [25]
Krynica-Zdrój  Poland 727 95.8 13 14 [26]
Kühtai-Tirol  Austria Parallel-Strecke temporäre Strecke
Laas  Italy [27]
Längenfeld-Sölden  Austria
Latsch  Italy 1200 118 10.17 15 [28], [29]
Latzfons/Klausen  Italy Not listed Not listed Not listed 16 [30]
Lendak  Slovakia
Lidingö  Sweden [31]
Lungiarü  Italy 1147 132 11.6 26 [32]
Lüsen  Italy 1050 104 9.9 21 [33]
Mölten  Italy
Montreux  Switzerland
Moos in Passeier  Italy 870 114.75 13.19 9 [34], [35], [36]
Moscow  Russia 500 65 13 9 [37]
Muskegon  United States 259 15.5 6 (banked curves are not permitted in FIL natural luge track) 6 [38]
Naseby  New Zealand 360 7 [39]
Navis  Austria 762 115 14 19 [40]
Negaunee  United States 696 88 12.6 23 [41]
Novouralsk/Ekaterinenburg  Russia 850 109 13 15 [42]
Oberperfuss  Austria 1200 160 13.45 28 [43]
Ontario Calabogie luge club  Canada [44]
Olang  Italy 1008.5 117.68 11.77 12 [45], [46]
Oslo  Norway [47]
Platt./ Pass  Italy
Rautavaara (1989-2013)  Finland
Sarikamis Kars  Turkey [48]
Reischach  Italy
Seiseralm-Völs  Italy
Stange  Italy 1081.70 150 12.83 16 [49], [50]
Stein an der Enns  Austria 1040 15 13.8 20 [51]
St. Lorenzen  Italy
St. Walburg  Italy 1213 142 11.68 7 [52], [53]
Szczyrk  Poland 960 145 12.88 Not listed [54]
Telfes  Austria
Tiers  Italy
Toblach  Italy
Triesenberg  Liechtenstein 300 38.65 13 Not listed [55]
Umhausen  Austria 1000 120 12.1 12 [56]
Unterammergau  Germany 1100 165 15 14 [57], [58]
Uttenheim  Italy
Villach  Austria
Villanders  Italy Not listed Not listed Not listed 19 [59]
Virgen  Austria 1600 210 13.2 Not listed [60]
Vögelsberg  Austria 920 130 13 12 [61]
Völs - Tuffalm  Italy
Völs - Gschlieder Kanzel  Italy 223 38 17 6 [62]
Winterleiten-Obdach  Austria [63]
Železniki  Slovenia 843 101 13 16 [64], [65]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ International Luge Regulations Natural Track (Version 2018)[dead link]
  2. ^ Overview of natural railways on the FIL website
  3. ^ "Home". upluge.org.
  4. ^ "Luge Sledding | Hinton, AB - Official Website".
  5. ^ "Calabogie Luge Club 2019 old – Ontario Luge".
  6. ^ "Home". lugenz.com.
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