Street luge

The term Streetluge or street luge called a gravity- dependent extreme sport where you go on a heavily modified, mostly self-made racing sled lying down paved roads. It is a kind of sledding, but without snow.

When Streetluge be, depending on the gradient, up to 157 km / h. Aside from the high speed and the lying position, Streetluge but has little to do with its winter namesake ( luge ).

History

Streetluge originated in Southern California as some downhill longboarders realized that they could achieve higher speeds when they lay on their boards. Today this form of downhills as Butt Boarding or "Classic Luge " is known.

The first professional race was held at Signal Hill, California by the U.S. Skateboard Association in 1975. The boards varied from normal skateboard, to nested racing soapbox that surrounded the driver complete with plastic or fiberglass. The winner was determined by the speed limit.

At this time, the term " street luge " was not born yet but luge ( luge ) first described the driving position of some drivers. Most of the participants at this event drove standing. A gap in the rules that allowed the drivers to select their driving position and thus to lie down on their boards. Repeated injuries among drivers and spectators finally finished the race on Signal Hill.

Several of the riders from the Signal Hill kept the sport alive by that they organized more races in Southern California. Through the 1980s and early 1990s, the races were held on in California, through organizations such as the Underground Racers Association ( URA), the Federation of International Gravity Racing ( FIGR ) and Road Racers Association for International Luge ( RAIL). The organizers in the 1980s and 1990s introduced a lot of extra equipment, safety and racing rules.

Meanwhile, began to sit down on the way back from skiing lessons in the Alps on their skateboards in the early 90s some Austrian skateboarders. This spread and led finally to a classic style street luge race in Austria. This board used to accumulate more like an enlarged skateboard as a Streetluge which are usually larger, heavier and equipped with more trucks and wheels. There is now a healthy Streetluge community in many European countries.

Mid-1990 Streetluge the world was introduced on ESPN's X Games, originally the sport of RAIL was promoted, then by the International Gravity Sports Association ( IGSA ). NBC followed ESPN's idea and called the Gravity Games to life, in which case the Sport of Extreme Downhill International ( EDI) has been promoted. Smaller events appeared now also in Canada, South Africa, Australia, Switzerland, Germany, Sweden and England. The qualification criteria were here vary from event to event jeveils and depended on jeveiligen organizer.

After a media boom in the late 1990s and early 2000 lost extreme sports like Streetluge their media value. Streetluge thus lost many important events, because the sponsors were. These included the American X Games, Gravity Games, Australian Xtreme Games and ultimately even the base Event Hot Heels in Austria.

The presence of Streetluge the internet disappeared while also increasing. Once large pages and communities linked the driver and stuck together as Streetluge.com, Streetluge.net (formerly LLLV.com ) and Lugeaustralia.com forfeited. Just as it seems Streetluge disappears again since then from the public.

Equipment, safety and race

Streetluge - drivers drive lying on his back. The appearance of these Luges sprang to the rules of various senior organizations.

Consistent elements were:

• 2,3 or 4 axes which direct by weight shift, as in the skateboard
• The prohibition of mechanical brakes
• Front and rear bumpers
• Length, width, and height limits ( according to organizers )
• A ban for parts that enclose the driver or could prevent the brakes.

Current Streetluge slides are made ​​from different materials. These are steel, aluminum, wood, and carbon fiber. The majority of driving in the world slide are even built, but there are now also commercial models available. The appearance of the carriage can vary greatly, as the rules are very open to making a slide.

Drivers who want to race organized Participating shall bear the following safety equipment:

• Hard shell helmet with chin guard and visor or goggles
• Leather or Kevlar suit
• Leather or Kevlar gloves
• Brake shoes

Normally these races are held on mountain and pass roads, but partly also in cities. The route length can range from 1 up to 5 km and differ in their nature ( number and radius of the curves).

The races will be run in the following forms:

• Simple elimination with 2, 4 or 6 drivers simultaneously
• Double elimination with 2, 4 or 6 drivers simultaneously
• Time Trials
• Points system ( points for various positions after several trips)
• Mass start, with up to 20 riders at the same time ( The positions are determined by the order at the finish line )

Umbrella organizations

Streetluge is headed at the time by several organizations worldwide. Each of these organizations has its own rules, although the associations are quite similar.

• IGSA (International Gravity Sports Association) is based in Southern California and regulates events around the world. The IGSA was the controlling organization for the X games from 1997 to 2001.
• GSI ( Gravity Sports International) is located in Loudon New Hampshire and governs race on the east coast of the USA. They include several new racing classes, such as novice, amateur and junior.