Luge became a sport by evolving from simple winter sledding into organized races, then into an internationally governed discipline and finally an Olympic event in the 20th century.

Quick Scoop: From sledding to sport

  • 15th–19th century: People in snowy regions used small sleds for transport and fun on hills and village roads, especially in the Alps.
  • Mid–late 1800s, St. Moritz, Switzerland: Winter tourists began racing on delivery boys’ sleds on icy streets and paths; hotel owner Caspar Badrutt promoted this as a thrill activity for guests.
  • 1883: The first major organized international luge race was held in Davos, Switzerland, turning casual sledding into a structured competition.
  • Early 1900s: European championships and national clubs formed, with standardized events in singles and doubles on prepared tracks.
  • 1913–1957: International sled-sport bodies were created, and luge became formally organized under international federations, culminating in the independent International Luge Federation (FIL) in 1957.
  • 1955: The first World Championships on artificial track were held in Oslo, confirming luge’s status as a modern racing sport with official titles.
  • 1964: Luge debuted as a full medal sport at the Winter Olympics, cementing its place as a global competitive discipline.

In short, luge became a sport when informal sledding was formalized by races (like Davos 1883), governing bodies, world championships, and finally Olympic inclusion in 1964.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.