What is luge team relay?

The luge team relay is a recent addition to the Olympic Winter Games, having made its debut in 2014 in Sochi, Russia. It consists of a team of three athletes: one female, one male and a doubles sled. The objective of the relay is to complete the course as quickly as possible, with each team member sliding down the track consecutively without interruption.

At the start of the relay, the female athlete sleds down the track and, upon crossing the finish line, hits a touchpad that opens the gate for the male athlete to begin his run. The male athlete then crosses the finish line and hits the touchpad to open the gate for the doubles sled. The doubles sled completes the relay by crossing the finish line.

The luge team relay is a highly competitive and unpredictable event, as any mistake by one team member can cost the team valuable seconds. The team with the fastest combined time wins the gold medal. The event is usually held towards the end of the Olympic luge competition, giving nations a chance to rally around their athletes and pull for their team to bring home a medal.