Berchtesgaden (cf): Participation is decided by performance! Thus the decisions of the International Luge Federation (FIL) which were made during the last weekend in Munich can be summed up.
In the future there shall be - similar to Formula One racing - a qualifying race on Friday which determines race participation and starting order.
In this connection the 18 best men, the 10 best women and the 10 best double-seaters, according to the World Cup list, will be seeded. Additionally, further 12 women and 12 men and 5 double-seaters can qualify for the race.
For the starting order the basic principle is: “From the back to the front”, while in the first run the 10 best athletes are drawn by lot. For the second run, the reverse order of placement applies so that the respectively 10 fastest lugers will start last.
As a further measure, the maintenance breaks between the runs will be abolished.
In order to offer also the smaller luge nations and talented young athletes additional competition opportunities, a “Nations’ Cup” will be held during the “Viessmann World Cup” weekends for the “second row” of luge athletes.
The changes concerning the “Viessmann World Cup” will have no consequences for the well-known “Krombacher Challenge Cup” races which are traditionally held prior to four World Cup competitions.
For the remaining four World Cup weekends, the FIL Executive Board has also decided on some changes. Just like in the World Championships, team competitions will be held, with their own overall placings at the end of the season.
All changes decided on by the FIL Executive Board shall be tested during the “Viessmann World Cup” races until the end of this year. Additionally, a “relay team competition” will be put to the test during an international training week which shall create even more tension at and on the race tracks. In this competition, the members of a team start directly one behind the other, that means when the first athlete has reached the finishing line the starting light for the next athlete of the same team turns green, etc. At the end of the competition the total time of each team is ascertained.

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e-mail: office@fil-luge.org