Konigssee track map
The
Konigssee bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton track
is a venue in
Germany
for
bobsleigh
,
luge
and
skeleton
, located in
Schonau am Konigssee
,
Bavaria
, near
Konigssee
(German for "King's Lake") and the border with
Austria
. Completed 56 years ago in 1968, it is the first permanent, artificially
refrigerated
bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton track in the world. In July 2021, the track was severely damaged by the
floods that affected the European continent
, and is currently under reconstruction.
History
[
edit
]
In 1967, Konigssee hosted the
European luge championships
on a
naturally
refrigerated track.
[1]
Later that year, it was decided to construct a permanent,
reinforced concrete
structure that was artificially refrigerated. The track, initially for luge, was completed in 1968.
[2]
The first international competition took place the following year with the
FIL World Luge Championships
.
[3]
On 3?4 December 1977, the track hosted the first Luge World Cup event won by
Paul Hildgartner
(
Italy
- men's singles),
Andrea Fendt
(
West Germany
- women's singles), and Italy's
Peter Gschnitzer
and
Karl Brunner
(men's doubles).
[4]
Bobsleigh was added to the track in the 1970s in time for the track to host their
sports' championship event
in
1979
, the first time any track would host both bobsleigh and
luge
in the same year in a non-
Winter Olympic
year (the track in
Igls
,
Austria
, was the first to do this at the
1976 Winter Olympics
in
Innsbruck
).
[5]
[6]
[7]
Skeleton competitions began in the late 1970s, hosting the world championships in
1990
.
[8]
The track was part of
Salzburg
, Austria's unsuccessful bid for the
2014 Winter Olympics
in 2007.
[9]
In October 2008, it was announced that the track would undergo a renovation project from 2010 to 2016.
[10]
Costing
€
21.7 million to do, the track is being done in part of
Munich
's bid to host the
2018 Winter Olympics
. Renovation includes extending the finish line and a new building near turn 16 and is scheduled to be complete by 2012. The starting area of the track will be started in 2014 and will finish in 2016.
[11]
On 28 February 2009, it was announced the track would host the
2011 FIBT World Championships
after the original winner,
Cortina d'Ampezzo
, withdrew to issues with the city and the
track
.
[12]
The 29th and last
Luge World Cup
at the track prior to renovation took place on 2?3 January 2010.
[11]
Bobsleigh
and
Skeleton
had their last World Cup prior to renovation the following weekend.
[13]
Track renovation was done during the rest of 2010. At the end of March 2010, the Turbodrom Kreisel turn caught fire following some
welding
work and was badly damaged. Renovation of the refrigeration plant was carried out in December 2010 with
ammonia
being pumped in on the 18th. Olympic champion
Felix Loch
made the first run on the luge part of the track on the 23rd in time for the World Cup event on 5?6 January 2011. The renovation was also done for the 2011 FIBT World Championships that took place in late February.
[14]
In 2021, the track was severely damaged by the flooding across
Europe
. According to BSD (German Bobsleigh and Luge Association) President
Thomas Schwab
, it would take until October 2022 before the track will return to competition status. There was no
ammonia
refrigeration
leak though to the piping being shut off to the end of the season.
[15]
On April 22, 2024, work began on the reconstruction of the bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton track with the dismantling of the men's luge start as well as the damaged track segments down to curve 5. The construction phase of the bedload dosing barrier, ammonia and long-distance lines will start in October 2024 and repair work on the Bobstart building in early 2025.
[16]
Statistics
[
edit
]
Ice rink at Konigssee
Deutsche Post Eisarena Konigssee.
Physical statistics
Sport
[17]
|
Length
|
Turns
|
Grade
|
Luge - men's singles
|
1.362 km (0.85 mi)
|
16
|
10.35%
|
Skeleton
|
1.270 km (0.79 mi)
|
12
|
9.20%
|
Bobsleigh
|
1.270 km (0.79 mi)
|
13
|
9.30%
|
Luge - women's singles
|
1.242 km (0.77 mi)
|
12
|
9.20%
|
Luge - men's doubles
|
1.242 km (0.77 mi)
|
12
|
9.20%
|
The track has a vertical drop of 117 metres (384 ft) from the bobsleigh start; the
elevation
at the base is 630 m (2,065 ft) above
sea level
.
[18]
Turns
Turn number
|
Name
|
Reason named
|
2, 3
|
Eiskapelle
|
German for "Ice chapel"
|
5, 6, 7, 8, 9
|
Schlangengrube/ S-Kombination
|
German for "Snake pit"/ S-combination in
(in German)
(Four turns in quick succession without a straight (
labyrinth
))
|
13.
|
Turbodrom
|
320-degree Kreisel (circular) curve.
|
16.
|
Josef Fendt
Kurve
|
Originally
Echowand
and later
Seekurve
(Lake curve), renamed in November 2020 for Fendt, who served as
International Luge Federation
president from February 1994 to November 2020. Fendt won
World Championships
on this track both in
1970
and
1974
.
|
17, 18
|
Zielhaus
|
German for "Finish house".
|
Turns 1, 4, 10, 11, 12, 14 and 15 have no names listed in the track diagram.
[19]
Championships hosted
[
edit
]
- FIBT World Championships
:
1979
,
1986
,
[6]
1990
(men's skeleton),
[8]
2004
(all bobsleigh and skeleton events),
[6]
2011
,
2017
[12]
- FIL European Luge Championships
:
1967
(As a natural track.),
1972
,
1973
,
1977
,
1988
,
1994
,
2017
[1]
- FIL World Luge Championships
:
1969
,
1970
,
1974
,
1979
,
1999
,
2016
,
2021
[7]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
a
b
FIL European Luge Championships men's singles results since 1914
Archived
15 November 2006 at the
Wayback Machine
- ^
"Bobsleigh and Olympism",
Olympic Review
. December 1984. p. 1011.
- ^
"Luge and Olympism", December 1983. p. 853.
- ^
No drudgery after luge festival in Thuringia.
at the
Federation Internationale de Luge de Course
(30 January 2008 article; accessed 2 December 2009).
- ^
1976 Winter Olympics official report
Archived
26 February 2008 at the
Wayback Machine
, pp. 206?208 on the Igls track.
(in English and French)
, and
(in German)
- ^
a
b
c
Bobsleigh two-man world championship medalists since 1931
Archived
29 September 2007 at the
Wayback Machine
- ^
a
b
FIL World Luge Championships men's single results since 1955
Archived
18 December 2007 at the
Wayback Machine
- ^
a
b
FIBT men's skeleton world championships men's skeleton results since 1989
Archived
29 September 2007 at the
Wayback Machine
- ^
Salzburg2014 Book 8 on bid featuring Konigssee bobsleigh, luge, and track bid, pp. 51?54.
(in English and French)
(dealinked)
- ^
List of proposed sports facilities to be used for the 2018 Winter Olympics in Munich, including Konigssee.
(in German)
. Accessed 17 October 2009.
- ^
a
b
Last Viessmann Luge World Cup prior to Koenigsee reconstruction.
at the
Federation Internationale de Luge de Course
(31 December 2009 FIL article; accessed 8 January 2010).
- ^
a
b
Konigssee to Host 2011 FIBT World Championship.
at the
Federation Internationale de Bobsleigh et de Tobogganing
(28 February 2009 accessed 28 February 2009.)
- ^
World Cup Action Resumes in Koeningsee.
at the
Federation Internationale de Bobsleigh et de Tobogganing
(7 January 2010 FIBT article; accessed 8 January 2010).
- ^
Homologisation of new artificially-iced track in Koenigssee. Olympic champion Felix Loch mad the first run.
at the
Federation Internationale de Luge de Course
(3 January 2011 article; accessed 4 January 2011).
- ^
Article on damage to the Koeningssee track
, fil-luge.org. 18 July 2021. Accessed 19 July 2021.
- ^
[1]
, berchtesgadener-anzeiger.de. 23 April 2024. Accessed 24 April 2024.
- ^
Konigssee track data
(in German)
. Accessed 19 February 2012.
- ^
"Konigssee"
. IBSF. (tracks)
. Retrieved
17 January
2020
.
- ^
BSD.de track profile
Archived
7 August 2009 at the
Wayback Machine
(in German)
.
- ^
Konigssee track records.
Archived
14 September 2009 at the
Wayback Machine
Accessed 20 December 2008.
- ^
FIBT Bobsleigh World Cup Koniggssee 10 January 2009 bobsleigh two-man results
. Accessed 10 January 2009.
- ^
Florschuetz Takes 2-Man in Koenigssee.
at the
Federation Internationale de Bobsleigh et de Tobogganing
(9 January 2010 article; accessed 9 January 2010).
- ^
Bobsleigh - two-woman results
Archived
13 September 2012 at the
Wayback Machine
(9 January 2010 article; accessed 9 January 2010).
- ^
Martini Sets Record, Wins Women's Bob Race.
at the
Federation Internationale de Bobsleigh et de Tobogganing
(9 January 2010 article; accessed 9 January 2010).
- ^
a
b
FIL Luge World Cup Konigssee 3 January 2010 men's singles results
. Accessed 3 January 2010.
- ^
a
b
FIL Luge World Cup Konigssee 2 January 2010 women's singles results
. Accessed 2 January 2010.
- ^
a
b
FIL Luge World Cup Konigssee 2 January 2010 doubles results
. Accessed 2 January 2010.
- ^
FIBT Skeleton World Cup Konigssee World Cup 9 January 2009 men's skeleton results
. Accessed 10 January 2009.
- ^
Hollingsworth Sets Record, Wins in Koenigssee.
at the
Federation Internationale de Bobsleigh et de Tobogganing
(8 January 2010 FIBT article; accessed 8 January 2010).
External links
[
edit
]
|
---|
Current artificial tracks
| |
---|
Former artificial tracks
| |
---|
Natural luge tracks
| |
---|
47°35′19″N
12°58′52″E
/
47.5887°N 12.9812°E
/
47.5887; 12.9812