Luge at the 2006 Winter Olympics

The luge events of the 2006 Winter Olympics were held at the Cesana Pariol track at Cesana Torinese 70 km west of Torino. The run was specially constructed for the 2006 Olympic Games and was completed in December 2004. The pre-Olympic test event that place in January 2005 was marred by a series of crashes including one left the Brazilian Renato Mizoguchi in a medically-induced coma. The track was modified for safety reasons and reopened in late 2005. Despite these modifications the track had a reputation for being amongst the world’s fastest and most difficult to drive. The track for the men’s event was 1435 m in length with nineteen curves and a drop of 114 m from top to bottom. The start for the doubles and womens’ events came after turn three and as a result the track was somewhat shorter and measured 1233 m. Three of the curves were named after former Olympic champions, namely Nino Bibbia, Paul Hildgartner and Eugenio Monti.

Two of the three gold medals won in Torino came as no surprise with Armin Zöggeler retaining the title he had won in Salt Lake City before an adoring home crowd and Sylke Otto leading a predictable German sweep of the podium in the women’s event. The shock of the Games was the victory of the Austrian Linger brothers who beat more fancied German pairings on the way to the gold.