luge

luge (lOOzh) [key], a type of small sled on which one or two persons, lying face up, slide feet first down snowy hillsides or down steeply banked, curving, iced chutes similar to those used in bobsledding. Steering is accomplished by shifting weight, pulling straps attached to the runners, or using the feet. Popular in the Alps and in other parts of Europe since the early 20th cent., luge has been an event (men's and women's singles and men's pairs) in the Winter Olympic Games since 1964.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2007, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

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