The FIL World Luge Natural Track Championships, part of the International Luge Federation (FIL) have taken place on an almost biennial basis in non-Winter Olympics years since 1979.
Background
These championships are held for and upon naturbahn or natural tracks, runs packed with snow and ice but featuring no artificial banking or artificial refrigeration as would be found on artificial and refrigerated tracks used in the mainstream Luge competitions. (See FIL World Luge Championships for all artificial track events that have taken place since 1955.)
The natural track discipline is an ancient and somewhat more organic form of the sport, requiring more rider intervention and hard braking over rougher tracks made across natural undulations of the path. That intervention, in turn, breaks the track up more for later riders and makes it more unpredictable. As a result, the discipline is often not as fast, but more physical and technical than luge on kunstbahn on the artificial, refrigerated tracks that are shared with bobsleigh and skeleton races. The concept of natural track can be compared with the cross-country discipline in athletics or skiing, or the cyclo-cross and mountain bike disciplines in cycling.
Although natural track luge is not an Olympic event, and venues are limited by climate and topology, FIL remains committed to supporting its inclusion in future Winter Games.
Host cities 1979: Inzing, Austria 1980: Moos in Passeier, Italy 1982: Feld am See, Austria 1984: Kreuth, West Germany 1986: Fénis-Aosta, Italy 1988: Montreux, Switzerland (cancelled) 1990: Gsies, Italy 1992: Bad Goisern, Austria 1994: Gsies, Italy 1996: Oberperfuss, Austria 1998: Rautavaara, Finland 2000: Olang, Italy 2001: Stein an der Enns, Austria 2003: Železniki, Slovenia 2005: Latsch, Italy 2007: Grande Prairie, Alberta, Canada 2009: Moos in Passeier, Italy 2011: Umhausen, Austria 2013: Deutschnofen, Italy 2015: Sankt Sebastian, Styria, Austria 2017 : Vatra Dornei, Romania 2019: Latzfons, Italy 2021: Umhausen, Austria 2023: Deutschnofen, Italy 2025: Tyrol, Austria
Men's singles Debuted: 1979.
1979 Inzing1980 Passeier1982 Feld am See1984 Kreuth1986 Fénis-Aosta1990 Gsies1992 Bad Goisern1994 Gsies1996 Oberperfuss1998 Rautavaara2000 Olang-Valdaora2001 Stein an der Enns2003 Železniki2005 Latsch2007 Grande Prairie2009 Moos2011 Umhausen2013 Deutschnofen2015 St. Sebastian2017 Vatra Dornei2019 Latzfons2021 Umhausen2023 Deutschnofen2025 Kühtai
Women's singles Debuted: 1979.
1979 Inzing1980 Passeier1982 Feld am See1984 Kreuth1986 Fénis-Aosta1990 Gsies1992 Bad Goisern1994 Gsies1996 Oberperfuss1998 Rautavaara2000 Olang-Valdaora2001 Stein an der Enns2003 Železniki2005 Latsch2007 Grande Prairie2009 Moos2011 Umhausen2013 Deutschnofen2015 St. Sebastian2017 Vatra Dornei2019 Latzfons2021 Umhausen Yekaterina Lavrentyeva (RLF)2023 Deutschnofen2025 Kühtai
Men's doubles Debuted: 1979. 1979 InzingDamiano LugonAndrea MilletWerner MückeHelmut HuterWerner PrantlFlorian Prantl1980 PasseierOswald PornbacherRaimund PigneterMartin JudHarald SteinhauserWerner MückeHelmut Huter1982 Feld am SeeAndreas JudErnst OberhammerAlfred KoglerFranz HuberWerner PrantlFlorian Prantl1984 KreuthAndreas JudErnst OberhammerMartin JudHarald SteinhauserAlfred KoglerFranz Huber1986 Fénis-AostaAlmir BentempsCorrado HerinAndreas JudErnst OberhammerArnold LungerGunther Steinhauser1990 GsiesAndreas JudHannes PichlerAlmir BentempsCorrado HerinWalter MauracherGeorg Eberhardter1992 Bad GoisernAlmir BentempsCorrado HerinRoland WolfStefan KöglerMichael BischoferHerbert Kögl1994 GsiesManfred GraberGunther SteinhauserJurgen PezziChristian HafnerRoland NiedermairHubert Burger1996 OberperfussReinhard BeerHerbert KöglAndi RuetzHelmut RuetzMartin PsennerArthur Konig1998 RautavaaraAndi RuetzHelmut RuetzManfred GraberHubert BurgerReinhard BeerHerbert Kögl2000 Olang-ValdaoraArmin MairDavid MairReinhard BeerHerbert KöglAndrzej LaszczakDamian Waniczek2001 Stein an der EnnsWolfgang SchopfAndreas SchopfArmin MairDavid MairPeter LechnerPeter Braunegger2003 ŽeleznikiWolfgang SchopfAndreas SchopfPavel PorzhnevIvan LazarevHarald KleinhoferGerhard Mühlbacher2005 LatschPavel PorzhnevIvan LazarevArmin MairJohannes HoferAndrzej LaszczakDamian Waniczek2007 Grande PrairiePavel PorzhnevIvan LazarevAleksandr YegorovPyotr PopovChristian SchatzGerhard Mühlbacher2009 MoosPatrick PigneterFlorian ClaraChristian SchopfAndreas SchopfAndrzej LaszczakDamian Waniczek2011 UmhausenPavel PorzhnevIvan LazarevPatrick PigneterFlorian ClaraAndrzej LaszczakDamian Waniczek2013 DeutschnofenPatrick PigneterFlorian ClaraChristian SchopfAndreas SchopfThomas SchopfAndreas Schöpf2015 St. SebastianPatrick PigneterFlorian ClaraRupert BruegglerTobias AngererPavel PorzhnevIvan Lazarev2017 Vatra DorneiRupert BruegglerTobias AngererPatrick PigneterFlorian ClaraAleksandr MartyanovIvan Rodin2019 LatzfonsPatrick PigneterFlorian ClaraPavel PorzhnevIvan LazarevPatrick LambacherMatthias Lambacher2021 UmhausenPatrick PigneterFlorian ClaraPatrick LambacherMatthias LambacherChristoph RegensburgerDominik Holzknecht2023 DeutschnofenPatrick LambacherMatthias LambacherPatrick PigneterFlorian ClaraMatevz VerteljVid Kralj2025 KühtaiPatrick LambacherMatthias LambacherMaximilian PichlerNico EdlingerTobias PaurAndreas Hofer
Mixed team Debuted: 2001.
2001 Stein an der EnnsSonja SteinacherAnton BlasbichlerArmin MairDavid MairMarlies WagnerGerhard PilzPeter LechnerPeter BrauneggerRenate GietlMartin GruberThomas GrafMichael Graf2005 LatschMelanie BatkowskiRobert BatkowskiReinhard BeerHerbert KöglYekaterina LavrentyevaAleksey LebedevPavel PorzhnevIvan LazarevRenate GietlAnton BlasbichlerArmin MairJohannes Hofer2007 Grande PrairieMelanie BatkowskiGernot SchwabChristian SchatzGerhard MühlbacherRenate GietlPatrick PigneterPatrick PigneterFlorian ClaraMarlies WagnerGerald KammerlanderReinhard BeerHerbert Kögl2009 MoosRenate GietlAnton BlasbichlerPatrick PigneterFlorian ClaraMelanie BatkowskiThomas SchopfChristian SchopfAndreas SchopfYekaterina LavrentyevaPavel PorzhnevIvan Lazarev2011 UmhausenAnton Blasbichler Renate GietlPatrick PigneterFlorian ClaraGerald KammerlanderMelanie BatkowskiChristian SchatzGerhard MühlbacherJuri TalykhYekaterina LavrentyevaPavel PorzhnevIvan Lazarev2013 DeutschnofenAlex GluberMelanie SchwarzPatrick PigneterFlorian ClaraStanislav KovshikYekaterina LavrentyevaPavel PorzhnevIvan LazarevFlorian BreitenbergerEvelin LanthalerHannes ClaraStefan Gruber2017 Vatra DorneiThomas KammerlanderTina UnterbergerRupert BruegglerTobias AngererAlex GruberGreta PinggeraPatrick PigneterFlorian ClaraJuri TalykhSvetlana ZaravinaAleksey MartyanovIvan Rodin2019 LatzfonsEvelin LanthalerPatrick PigneterAlex GruberTina UnterbergerMichael ScheiklThomas KammerlanderYekaterina LavrentyevaStanislav KovshikJuri Talykh2021 UmhausenEvelin LanthalerAlex GruberTina UnterbergerThomas KammerlanderYekaterina LavrentyevaAleksandr Yegorov Russian Luge Federation2023 DeutschnofenEvelin LanthalerAlex GruberTina UnterbergerMichael ScheiklLisa WalchVincent Streit2025 KühtaiEvelin LanthalerDaniel GruberRiccarda RuetzMichael ScheiklLisa WalchSimon Dietz
Medal table Updated as of the 2025 FIL World Luge Natural Track Championships.
References
Men's doubles natural track World Champions Men's singles natural track World Champions Mixed teams natural track World Champions Women's singles natural track World Champions