Ground-breaking ceremony for new Alpine Luge track in Innsbruck/Igls

Premiere at joint World Championships with luge on artificial track

A further milestone for the new Alpine Luge track in Innsbruck/Igls was reached on Thursday, 24 September 2026, with the official ground-breaking ceremony. On the historic site towards Heiligwasser, the track on which World Championship medals will be contested in February 2027 as part of the first joint FIL World Championships in luge on artificial track and Alpine Luge is taking shape. Following the championships, the track will remain as a public luge track.

(from left): Marco Holzknecht (President, Tyrolean Luge Federation), Helmut Thaler (doubles/Olympic silver, 1964), Christine Keth (interim Managing Director, Innsbruck Tourism), Gerald Kammerlander (Alpine Luge Sports Director), Johannes Anzengruber (Mayor of Innsbruck), Markus Prock (President, Rodel Austria), Matthias Stang (Head of Forestry and Nature Department)

Innsbruck/Igls (ÖRV/FIL 24.09.2026) Work on the approximately 805-metre-long track has already begun, with homologation scheduled for early December. Nine curves, a vertical drop of 101 metres and an average gradient of 12.5 % characterise the new track.

“For the first time, World Championship medals in both disciplines of luge will be awarded simultaneously and at the same venue. This is historic and underlines the opportunities and importance of Tyrol as a sports region,” emphasises Markus Prock, President of Rodel Austria. The short distances and numerous medal decisions will give the joint World Championships a special appeal. “Preparations are in full swing and the anticipation is enormous.”

From elite sport to recreational sport

The Mayor of the City of Innsbruck, Johannes Anzengruber, also underlines the long-term importance of the project: “Together with the luge federations, the federal government, the Province of Tyrol, Patscherkofelbahn and the landowners, Innsbruck will succeed for the first time in hosting the 2027 World Championships in luge on artificial track and Alpine Luge at the same venue.” Following the World Championships, the new Alpine Luge track will be available to the public during the winter months, making Innsbruck’s local mountain even more attractive.

“As Innsbruck Tourism, we are making targeted investments in the living environment and therefore in the quality of leisure and experiences for residents and visitors. The new luge track on Patscherkofel is a prime example: together, we are creating sports infrastructure that not only makes the 2027 World Championships possible, but also provides long-term added value for the region as a public luge track,” says Christine Keth, interim Managing Director of Innsbruck Tourism.

For Gerald Kammerlander, Rodel Austria Sports Director Alpine Luge, hosting a World Championships on this historic slope is also something special from a sporting perspective. The fact that the track can subsequently be used for recreational sport makes the project a win-win situation for him: “Elite sport is paving the way for recreational sport – that is exactly how it should be.”

Back to the roots

As early as the beginning of the 20th century, Igls developed into a centre of luge. In 1951, the first European Luge Championships after World War II were held on the site of the new Alpine Luge track, followed by the Olympic debut of luge in 1964.

Two 1964 medallists, Helene Thurner and Helmut Thaler, also returned to Igls for the ground-breaking ceremony. Thurner remembers a sport without a starting house and with a simple starting mechanism. Much has changed since then. “The tracks are faster, the sledges and the way of riding are completely different. What has remained the same, however, is the tension at the start,” recalls Helene Thurner.

Helmut Thaler knows both sides of luge. “I grew up on natural track and learned to luge there. It provides young talents with an accessible entry into the sport and can be an important pathway into elite competition.” He is particularly pleased that both disciplines will come together at the 2027 World Championships: “This creates a great opportunity to pool our resources, present both sports to a wider audience and pass on the enthusiasm for luge to the next generation.”

Alpine Luge track Innsbruck/Igls
Technical data:
Length: approx. 805 metres
Start: approx. 1,133 m above sea level
Finish: approx. 1,032 m above sea level
Vertical drop: 101 metres
Curves: 9
Average gradient: 12.5 %
Maximum gradient: approx. 22 %
Homologation: early December 2026