The race is started from a stationary position. The extra weights are attached to the luger, not the luge. Garments must meet a number of requirements and are limited to 8.8 pounds of maximum weight. Luge runners may not be heated and are checked before each run. Winners are determined by the aggregate times of four runs for singles and two runs for doubles.
Lugers steer by pressing their calves against the outside of the front runners of the sled.
Although the sport of luge is sometimes thought of as being relatively new, sled racing is actually one of the oldest of all winter sports. References to sled racing first appeared in chronicles from Norway in 1480 and the Erz Mountain area in 1552. The first international luge race took place in 1883 with 21 competitors representing seven nations, including the United States. At the turn of the century, luge was actually governed by the International Bobsled Federation which administered all the ice-track racking sports. Having no formal luge program at the time, the first U.S. team was made up of American soldiers who were stationed in Europe.