Number Plates
A long time ago someone decided that street luges needed number
plates. The earliest rule I can find is RAIL's for 1995.
- 'All racers are required to have an area behind their helmets
that measures 8 to 10" by 10 to 12" for their racing number. ... Numbers
must be no less than six inches tall and attached to both sides of the
sled.'
Most organizations rules sprouted from RAIL's. EDI doesn't
require a number plate. GSI states the numbers must be at least 4 inches and
must be visible from either side, but otherwise doesn't specify a location.
IGSA started with the 10x12 rule but a few years back went to a
minimum size of 8x10 with 6 inch numbers, and stated it didn't have to be a
plate. In 2003, because professionally cut 6 inch numbers were hard to find they
changed the size to 5 inches. That same year IGSA introduced a new luge class,
unlimited. By popular demand this is the only class racing. The number plate
rule for unlimited luge was quite a change:
-
'Number Area: All luges are required to have a number area
located at the back of the board. The required numbers must be a minium of
thirteen centimeters ( 5") tall and must be visible on both sides of the luge
when the rider is in place. ...highly visible from sx meters away.'
Bill Smrtic came up with an ingenious solution and brought it to
San Francisco Gravity Fest.
He decided that they looked really nice, so he added it to his
board as well.
This number plate serves multiple purposes, it appears to be more aerodynamic,
it can act as a fender, and brings the number area forward and allows the end of
the board to be closer to the riders head.
The biggest question is can it be seen from twenty feet away?
This picture was taken from about twenty feet away. The numbers are visible to
the naked eye, but not in the picture (partially due to the harsh sunlight.)
Of course I don't know how visible these number plates are to someone at the
finish line when the luge is traveling upwards of 60 mph.
Several weeks after the San Francisco race was the World Cup in
Oklahoma. I counted twelve of these plates. Almost a third of the field. Bill
made similar plates for other people, but some people came up with some pretty
cool ideas.
Bill Smrtic's plates:
Bill's new luge (not yet race ready) has the numbers painted
onto the board.
Jeremy Kahn picked up a welding face shield from Home Depot.
Rian James added some ground effects, and just added the numbers
to that.
Justin Tolman made his out of a number plate cut in half with a
bend in each half.
McIntyre made his one night in the hotel room.
Richard Hodkinson made his out of number plate folded in half.
Pete Eliot just used some Duct Tape (I always thought Duct Tape
was an American Invention?)
Chris Chaput didn't exactly use the same mechanism, but he did
find another way to get his number underneath the head rest.
The future of streetluge is shorter tighter boards. This
increases close racing and reduces the risk of spinouts. In the event that
number plates are a necessity these new fender number places appear to be the
way to go.
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