Why do luge officials take the temperature of the steels?
Officials' detail · The sled and officials · 3 of 4Warm steels glide faster, so each sled's steels are measured at the start and may be no more than 5°C above a control steel kept in the shade. Once the start inspection begins, the sled may not be swapped or worked on. At the finish, drawn athletes face further checks of weight, temperature and the sled itself.
How it works
- Control steel: at least 20 cm long, in a shaded spot, placed at least 4 hours before the race.
- Readings: the control steel 30 minutes before the start and every 15 minutes after.
- Limit: no more than 5°C above the control steel.
- Measured: two spots per steel, to a tenth of a degree.
- Notice board: air, ice, control steel and maximum steel temperature are posted.
- Inspection zone: only the athlete brings the sled in; once checks start, no swap, warming or glide preparation.
- At the finish: athletes draw lots for RED checks (temperature, weight, measurements, equipment) or BLUE checks (sled construction).
- Forerunners: checked too; warm steels mean no start.
The glossary has the runner temperature, the weight check, the parc fermé, the steels, the sled and the luge sled parts.
Tricky cases
The steels are 6°C above the control steel. What happens?
They are over the limit, which is a rule breach the race director can disqualify for.
A visor breaks after the start checks. Can it be changed?
Yes. Race equipment may be swapped within the start time, and the TD checks it at the finish.
Can an athlete polish the steels while waiting?
No. No preparation to improve gliding is allowed once the start inspection begins.
Who chooses which sleds are checked at the finish?
Athletes draw lots, and the TD may order further checks at random.
Why the rule exists
A warm steel melts a thin film of ice and slides faster, so heating is a simple way to cheat. Measuring against a shaded control steel sets one fair limit for the day's conditions.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Start | Temperature, weight, gap and visual checks | IRO §5 3.1 |
| Finish | Drawn RED or BLUE checks | IRO §5 3.2 |
| Olympics | Drawn sled marked after run 1 or 3, checked after the day's last run | IRO Supp. 4 1.7 |
From the rule book
FIL, International Luge Regulations (IRO), artificial track (2026 edition), §5 point 3. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: the FIL International Luge Regulations, issued each season.