Test mode in Bludenz successful

Bludenz (FIL) The new artificial track in Bludenz (Austria) was iced for the first time in test operation at the end of the season from 13 February 2021. In cooperation with the members of the Luge Club Sparkasse Bludenz, an experienced team from Imst from the natural track as well as many helpers from the ÖRV (Austrian Luge  Federation) together with the experienced ice masters Sepp, Didi and Markus, the newly built track was iced. The test runs in luge, skeleton and two-man bobsleigh took place on Thursday, 18 February 2021.

Austria's national luge team, led by head coach René Friedl, first tested the freshly iced Bludenz short track. In addition to local heroes Jonas and Yannik Müller as well as Thomas Steu, Hanna Prock, Lisa Schulte, Wolfgang Kindl, brothers David and Nico Gleirscher also started their test runs. Afterwards, bobsleigh pilot Benjamin Maier completed runs on the two-man bobsleigh with his Vorarlberg pushman Kristian Huber and Alexander Auer tested the track on the skeleton.
In the end, the total cost of the ice track with 700 metres and six curves was around eight million euros. The new artificial ice track has a maximum gradient of 10.5 per cent. The difference in altitude is 43.3 metres, with the start at 736.6 metres above sea level. There is a luge start and a bobsleigh and skeleton start. 
Markus Aschauer, Thomas Schwab and Giaccomo Daritz were on site for the FIL and IBSF track commissions to inspect the new artificial track, which certainly has its challenges, but presented in excellent condition. There was a lot of praise for the attractive new sports facility where a top speed of 85 km/h was reached. 

ÖRV President Markus Prock said: "The first test runs went well. The new track in Bludenz is a real asset for youth and junior sport. Our concept proves that with the innovative technology in prefabricated construction developed by the University of Innsbruck, it is also possible to build cheaper and sustainable rinks for all ice channel sports. Especially countries without an artificial track, this concept offers a financially viable option for junior sports. I think that with this new technology, new Olympic tracks can be built in the future for around 50 million euros. Of course, even more infrastructure is required for Olympic Games, such as larger start and finish buildings, media centres and so on".

The province of Vorarlberg looks back on a great luge tradition. Until the 1960s, there was an artificial luge track in Bludenz-Hinterplärsch. In the past, the lugers from Bludenz were not only top in Vorarlberg and Austria, but were also among the absolute world elite. They have won World Cups, World Championship medals and Olympic medals. In order to continue this tradition, it was important for the local luge club and the Vorarlberg and Austrian luge federations to provide appropriate training facilities for all junior classes. This is now possible with the new facility in Bludenz.
photos: ÖRV / Bludenz track