A Brief History of Luge
Anthony Shimkonis, edit Jennifer Kalbfliesch
The practical use of sleds is ancient and widespread, with origins reaching as far back as ancient Egypt. What began as a means of efficiently transporting materials and people, eventually took on a recreational flair. References to sled racing first appeared in Scandinavia in chronicles from Norway in 1480. Then in the Erz Mountains region of central Europe on the border between what is now, Germany and the Czech Republic in1552.
Luge, as we recognize it today, first originated in the Swiss Alps. Enthusiasts used logging roads leading from the alpine forests down to the villages. In turn, hotel owners catering to thrill-seeking tourists, molded luge into a recreational sport, which led to the first international luge race, held in Davos, Switzerland in February 1883.
The competition consisted of 21 competitors representing six nations, including the United States. The four-kilometer (2.5 miles) racecourse, running between the Swiss resorts of St. Wolfgang and Klosters, was organized by hotels in Davos. It was won by Georg Robertson, a student from Australia, and by Peter Minch, a mailman from Klosters, Switzerland. Both champions raced to identical first place times of 9 minutes, 15 seconds.
At the turn of the century, in 1913, the Internationale Schlittensportverband or International Sled Sports Federation was founded in Dresden, Germany. This body governed the sport of luge until it was incorporated into the Fédération Internationale de Bobsleigh et de Tobogganing (FIBT, International Bobsleigh and Tobogganing Federation) in 1935. At a 1954 International Olympic Committee (IOC) meeting in Athens, Greece, it was determined that luge would replace skeleton as a Winter Olympic discipline. This change would not occur until 1964. Skeleton, which had been a sport at the 1928 and 1948 Winter Olympics, would not return as an Olympic sport until the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.
After it had been decided that luge would replace the sport of skeleton, the first World Championships in luge were held in 1955 at Oslo (Norway). In 1957, delegates from 13 countries established their own international governing body for the sport, and the Fédération Internationale de Luge de Course (FIL), International Luge Federation was founded.
Luge events were inaugurated in the IX Olympic Winter Games in 1964 at Innsbruck, Austria. As the sport evolved, it separated into two disciplines. Kuntsbahn, which is German for Artificial Track, is the present day Olympic Style and has high banked turns and speeds of up to 60-90 mph / 97-145 kph depending on the track can be attained by the athletes. Manuel Pfister of Austria accomplished the fastest official speed ever attained in luge in Whistler, Canada. During a training run for the 2010 XXI Winter Olympics, he achieved a speed of 96 mph / 154 kph.
Currently, the luge competition consists of four events: men's singles, women's singles, doubles, and the team relay. Doubles teams can consist of two athletes of either gender. It has traditionally been a male only discipline. However, that is now changing. As this is being written there have been doubles competition which consisted of female doubles teams at the JNT level.
The 2nd discipline, Naturbahn, German for Natural Track, retained the look of its origins. In this style, the turns are somewhat flat, and the athlete can be seen sliding by most spectators lined up along the track for quite a distance. Sliders use pronounced body movements and a strap tethered to the sled to help drive the sled. Control is augmented with the assistance of specially bladed gloves, which are dragged on or dug into the ice for turns. It is interesting to note that most of the terms and the language of this sport are German. Yet we in the U.S., as did most of the competitive circuit, adopted the French word for sled; "luge".
With the arrival of the XIII Olympic Winter Games in Lake Placid in 1980 came the construction of the nation's first refrigerated luge run in 1979. In the same time frame, USA Luge was formed as the sport's National Governing Body (NGB).
Americans were slow to adopt the sport of luge. Having no formal luge program at the time of the 1964 Winter Games, the United States' first Olympic luge team consisted mainly of American soldiers who were stationed in Europe during the Cold War. Back in the U.S.A., luge attracted a small number of athletes who were relegated to training on the 1932 Olympic bobsled run in Lake Placid, N.Y. As interest in the sport continued to grow, the first luge run in North America was built at Lolo Hot Springs, Montana in 1965. However, with no formal national organization to support, develop, and promote luge, American sliders remained in relative obscurity over the next 15 years.
The arrival of the XIII Olympic Winter Games heralded a new era for the sport of luge here in the United States. Although the U. S. competed in every Olympic luge event from 1964 through 1976, it was not until 1979 that the United States Luge Association (USLA) formed, becoming the sport's National Governing Body (NGB). In the same year, the construction of the nation's first refrigerated artificial American track was completed for use in the 1980 XIII Winter Olympic Games at Lake Placid, New York. Since that time the United States luge program has dramatically improved. A second artificial track was constructed near Park City, Utah for the 2002 XIX Olympic Winter Games at Salt Lake City.
Since its inception, USA Luge has overseen the selection and preparation of the U.S. National and Olympic teams. In addition, a national network of luge clubs, as well as a comprehensive recruitment program, has also been developed, giving USA Luge some improved depth at every level of participation.
In 1977, possibly 1976, (the verdict is still out) the Adirondack Luge Club established under the guidance of Jack "Capt'n Billy" Jenkins and Gigi Jenkins, Jack Elder, and Dick Genovese. On 27 March 1978 the Adirondack Luge Club, Inc. was registered as a domestic not-for-profit corporation in the State of New York. Since the inception of the ADK Luge Club, Gigi Jenkins held one of the 4 offices for at least 13 years. Along, with that some other names have surfaced during this research.
The earliest administration that can be definitively identified is the 1989-1990 office of:
Gigi Jenkins-president
Jeff Scheuer-vice president
Leon Armer-secretary
Linda Jenkins-treasurer
Along the years other members have guided the club in different positions:
Dave Doherty-president and John Mowry-treasurer circa 1988.
Gigi Jenkins-p, Mike Heidt-vp, Ted Minde-s, Susan Heidt-t, 1991-1992
From there archives are rather thin until 1997 when Carolee Heller appears in the annals of ADK Luge Club history. For quite a while the devotion of Carolee held the club together with her administration.
Carolee Heller-president
Tracy Heller-vice president
Kelson Danielson-secretary
Phil Heller-treasurer.
After her considerable tenure the archive information gets thin again for quite a few years. The next name that emerges is Ted Elmendorf who took helm some where in the late 90's early 2000's. Followed by Jim Murphy-vp, then p, Brett West-vp, Bill Dearborn-s, Nancy Mayers-t,
Matt Gannon-vp, Doug Bohl-p, Anthony Shimkonis vp, then p.
Under the administration of Jim Murphy from 2006-2012 the ADK Luge Club traveled to Igls, Austria (twice), Winterberg, Germany, Park City, Utah and Calgary, Canada. During the Winterberg campaign the ADK club participated in a masters intra-club competition consisting of some former German national sliders in which we swept the podium. The first Ice Breaker Luge Club competition was organized. Along with this a new position of Athlete Representative was formed with Jeff Stratton accepting the nomination.
With a new interim administration in 2017 of Anthony Shimkonis, Jennifer Elliot-s, Eric McKissick-t, it focused on expanding club activities with the introduction of the TryLuge program, a memorial race honoring Dr. Les Mayers who was the Team USA physician for the three sliding disciplines during the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. Developing a program for our military veterans with the local VA is in discussion, along with filming athletes club sessions for critique. Then there is local community involvement with Dmitry Feld and I Love B-BQ Festival. The latest item under revue and development is, the open to public, Family Night Slide.
In spring of 2020 the unthinkable happened. The world was exposed to the worse pandemic since 1918. The Covid-19 virus brought everything to cessation. Sliding had been halted....indefinitely for the club along with the JDT, JCT and JNT athletes.
The administration trying to keep the club alive for the 2020-2021 pandemic season
Anthony Shimkonis-p
Scott Prehn-vp
Linda Gosnell-s
Ali Coates-t
Since our inception, the Adirondack Luge Club has produced numerous athletes who earned a spot the national USA Luge team. Most notably Tucker West and Aiden Kelly, both having attained status as Olympians. With more research there will be more names and stories added to the list as time goes on. Meanwhile check out Hall of Fame when you log onto our website
With this history the ADK Luge Club hopes to continue the legacy of our predecessors. To prosper and grow. Building from its successes and failures in order to promote the sport to the masses and hopefully develop future national athletes and Olympians. But most of all, to continue to enjoy the pure exhilaration and fun this sport has to offer.
To be continued……..