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DIARY: REGAN LAUSCHER: THE ROAD TO TURINRegan's
crib sheet CBC Sports Online | Nov. 17,
2004 |
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Luge has three separate disciplines: men’s singles, women’s
singles and men’s doubles (there is no women’s doubles
event)
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All three disciplines start at different points in the track.
Men always start from the top of the track and women and doubles
usually start two to three curves down.
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To start, we sit on our sleds and pull through a set of handles.
Then we hit the ice (or ‘paddle’) with spiked gloves
to accelerate.
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Speeds on luge tracks range from 105 km/h to 155 km/h.
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Countries that have tracks are: Canada (1), USA (2), Germany (4),
Austria (1), France (1), Norway (1), Japan (1), Latvia (1), Italy
(1), Switzerland (1)
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In the doubles event, the athletes are referred to as a top man
and bottom man. The top man is the taller of the two athletes
and sits on a seat in front of and above the bottom man. The bigger
man goes on top for aerodynamics.
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YES we have to steer our sleds!!!! Sleds are steered by pushing
on the kufens (or runners), and using shoulder pressure and body
movements. Like a vehicle going highway speeds, the movements
are not dramatic but extremely precise.
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The average length of a run is 40 to 60 seconds. Most tracks have
between 14 and 20 curves.
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A race consists of two runs, with the winner having the lowest
combined time of the two.
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Many specific rules govern the sleds, equipment, steel temperatures
and body weight, and they’re all measured every run of every
race. Athletes are disqualified when they are in breach of a rule.
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The luge season runs from October to March. There are generally
eight World Cups and the World Championships and National Championships.
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Athletes can experience G-forces in some curves comparable to
that of jet fighter pilots.
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Luge athletes use peripheral vision to orientate themselves in
the track. Unlike bobsledding and skeleton racing, luge athletes
can’t see everything!
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The actual surface area of the steel that touches the ice is less
than that of a skate blade.
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There are NO BRAKES on the luge sled!!! Athletes come to stop
by holding the front of the sled up, which pushes the backs of
the steels into the ice.
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Luge is the fastest sport in the Winter Olympics as well as the
fastest non-motorized competitive sport.
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Luge is the only Olympic sport timed to the thousandth of a second.
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To make themselves heavier, athletes wear “weight vests.”
These are literally vests or shorts with square pieces of lead
sewn into them. There are certain limits as to how much extra
weight an athlete can carry.
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Because aerodynamics are critical, most athletes don’t wear
any padding or protection.
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Twenty-four-year-old Olympic veteran Regan Lauscher is launching into her 10th season in the sport of speed. The Red Deer, Alta. native, who finished 12th in the 2002 Olympics, hopes to better her Olympic result in 2006 and finish in the top five. She hopes to consistently finish in the top eight this season, and is also looking forward to graduating this spring from Mount Royal College with her degree in journalism.
DOUBLES
• Grant Albrecht &
Eric Pothier
• Sam Edney &
Gwyn Lewis
MEN
• Jeff Christie
• Ian Cockerline
• Sam Edney
• Jorgen Krause
WOMEN
• Regan Lauscher
• Meaghan Simister
• Madison Dupius
COACHES
• Walter Corey
(head coach)
• Robert Fegg
(assistant head coach)
• Jason Poole
(strength coach/trainer)
FULL TEAM BIOS
Follow Regan and her digital camera along the Road
to Turin.
CLICK
TO VIEW GALLERY
Bet you didn't know that lugers can experience G-forces in some curves
comparable to that of jet fighter pilots.
MORE LUGE FACTS
• Lauscher
luges into history with World Cup silver
• Canada's
Lauscher 7th at World Cup luge opener
Luge Primer
Everything you need to know to watch the luge like an expert
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