• Luge competitions during Olympic Winter Games (OWG)
  
  
•  FIL Championships
  
  - World Championships (WM)
    in each sport's year, with the exception of the year in which the OWG will be
    staged
  - Continental championships
    in the sport's year in which the OWG will be staged and two years later
  - Junior World Championships (JWM)
    in each sport's year
  
  
•  International Competitions
  
  -  World Cup (WC)
  -  Junior World Cup (JWC)
  -  Nations Cup (NC)
  -  Other international competitions

FIL competitions are carried out in the following disciplines:

•  Women - singles
•  Men - singles
•  Doubles
•  Team Relay (compulsory at FIL championships)
   A Relay Team consists of: 1 woman, 1 man, and 1 doubles sled

Seeded groups start in all disciplines of the FIL competitions (except in the Team Relay).

Composition of seeded groups at FIL Championships and World Cups - general class:

•  15 men
•  10 women
•  10 doubles

Seeded groups are composed by names.

The positions in the seeded groups result from the point rankings of the three previous World Cup races.

Start order at FIL Championships (general class): 

• The start order of the seeded group is drawn in public.
• There is a preliminary run for the start order of unseeded athletes.
• After the 1st competition run, the number of starters in the 2nd run is reduced. 
• The eliminated athletes are ranked according to their placings in the 1st run.

In all disciplines at all FIL competitions, the start order in the 1st race run is as follows:

• Men: 1-7, 8-15, 16-last according to placing in preliminary run
• Women: 1-10, 11-last according to placing in preliminary run
• Doubles: 1-10, 11-last according to placing in preliminary run

Start order for the 2nd race run:

• Men: 25-1 according to placing in the 1st race run
• Women: 20-1 according to placing in the 1st race run
• Doubles: 18-1 according to placing in the 1st race run

Participation in World Cup competitions:

Seeded group: 15 men, 10 women, 10 doubles
Qualification/NC: 17 men, 14 women, 10 doubles 

Start order at World Cups:

The World Cup races start with a qualification run. This run must be taken by all participants except athletes in the seeded group. The start order for the qualification run arises from the current list of seeded groups, best place to last place. Athletes that do not come from the seeded list will be placed at the end of the start list. The best 17 men, 14 women and 10 doubles are qualified for the World Cup.

1st Race Run:

• Last place to first place from the qualification
• Seeded group based on draw

2nd Race Run:

• According to the results of the first race run, last place to best place

The ranking during the Team Relay is done according to the total cumulative time of the three sleds.

The basic components of a sled are:

•  2 ruuners
•  2 blades
•  Sling seat or pod seat
•  2 bridges

The weight including attached accessories is:

•  21-25 kg for a single sled (calculation of weight 23 kg)
•  25-30 kg for a double sled (calculation of weight 27 kg)
•  14-16 kg for a youth sled
•  22 kg for a youth doubles sled

Missing or increased weight (+/- 2 kg) can be compensated through additional weight and weight of race clothing.

Additional weights may be carried in singles' competitions for women, men, junior women, junior men, youth A men and women, as well as in doubles, general class and juniors.

The additional weight may not exceed

•  Temperature of the blades
•  Weight of the sled
•  Overall weight of the athlete

Artificial tracks are luge tracks which have been specially constructed for the sport of luge.
A difference is made between artificial luge tracks with or without refrigeration system.

Artificial tracks are commissioned by the FIL Technical Commission.

• Competitions may be held in extreme weather conditions with a
   temperature as low as - 25°C
•  The time is measured with an accuracy of 1000th of a second
•  In case of snowfall the track is swept after a certain number of athletes
•  The athlete has to pass the finish line in contact with his/her sled
•  In order to participate in a competition the athletes require a valid FIL License
   (medical check-up, valid insurance)
•  The athlete must wear the FIL safety helmet
• Competition program of Team Relay (General Class)
  - All three sleds of one team (doubles, women’s singles and men’s singles) start one after the other from one start height.
  - The first sled starts within a time slot of 45 seconds (doubles) or 30 seconds (singles) and the time starts running with the passing of a light barrier.
  - At the finish, the athlete must hit the touch pad, which opens the start gate for the second sled, all of this without the time stopping.
  - The third sled can start when the second athlete has hit the finish touch pad and the start gate opens again.
  - As soon as the third starter reaches the touch pad, the time stops and the overall time for the relay team is determined.
  - If an athlete does not reach the finish touch pad his/her team is disqualified.
  Start preparations:
  - The athlete enters the start area and takes starting position alone with his/her sled. Any help by a coach is prohibited.
  - It is only permitted to hand over the sled into the start area.
  Start process:
  Reaction start: An athlete may only start when the start gate opens.