Summer, heat and still on the toboggan

About two months after the World Cup final in Yanqing, China, the spotlight once again belonged to them. Between March 31 and April 10, South Tyrol's World Cup lugers completed a few test runs on the new bobsleigh and luge track in Cortina d'Ampezzo. The Olympic Games will take place there in six months, and from the very first moments on the ice track, the major event was already present in their own country.

A special experience – and also so unusual. "Normally, a season winds down slowly. This year, however, the situation was different, as Cortina was on the schedule," noted Armin Zöggeler, racing director of the Italian Luge Federation, in an interview with Dolomiten. "So the athletes were still on the ice until mid-April. Otherwise, they would have had a quieter phase, a break, during this period."

The solution is on your doorstep The past few weeks have been more tightly scheduled than in the past. But how exactly would a tobogganist prepare if, at such temperatures, any ice were to melt in a very short time? Unlike alpine skiers, you can't simply set up a training camp on South American glaciers. The solution, in fact, lies right on your doorstep.

After a two-week break, Dominik Fischnaller and his team slowly eased back into the routine of the ice track. Initially, the focus was on endurance and fundamentals like stabilization and coordination, with circuit and strength training also included. Finally, it was back to the toboggan. But where? "We completed our first training camps in mid-May, starting with initial sessions on ice at the ice stadiums in Brixen and Neumarkt," explained Zöggeler.

Dominik Fischnaller dreams of an Olympic medal in Cortina. © Hermann Sobe

Now, the conditions aren't the same as in the ice track; the flat conditions stand in stark contrast to the steep and fast courses in the World Cup. But that's precisely the highlight. "We utilize the ice contact. It's extremely important for the athletes to use the sled again, to grip the ice with their hands, and to make the paddling movements," Zöggeler emphasized.

Technology makes the difference On flat ice, high-speed maneuvers are a distant prospect, and starting technique needs to be fine-tuned. "It's about getting the strength in your forearms and rediscovering the right feel," says Zöggeler. "If you ignore technique on flat ice, you won't be able to move forward. This is how the athletes get back into the flow." "A javelin thrower must always have his throwing implement in his hand, a shot putter must not lose the feeling of the weight – and that's the same for us." Armin Zöggeler Ultimately, it's a process like in so many other sports. "A javelin thrower has to constantly have their throwing equipment in their hand, a shot putter mustn't lose the feeling of its weight – and it's the same with us: The athletes have to maintain contact with the ice throughout the summer." Of course, the lugers don't have the ice rinks to themselves, so some planning is required in advance. "In the summer, it's not so easy to get in, as they're also occupied by figure skaters and ice hockey clubs," said Zöggeler.

Summer preparation becomes a balancing act In addition to the training sessions in Brixen and Neumarkt, Maranza is also regularly a focus of preparation. Starting sequences are practiced there on a roughly 45-meter-long structure – as already done in mid-July. Another week-long training camp is scheduled for the end of August.

In the first week of October, the race will finally head to the far north, where South Tyrol's lugers will once again train on a completely icy track in Lillehammer. Until then, it's important to find the right balance between the different training sessions. In other words, it's important not to train too one-sidedly – like in strength training, for example. "The trick is to build strength, maintain speed, and still be agile on the luge," says Zöggeler. "It's a balancing act."

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Summer, heat and still on the toboggan

While temperatures in South Tyrol are also rising, winter sports enthusiasts are already focusing on the new season – including tobogganers. But how can a heat wave, runners, and ice be combined?

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