Munich/Altenberg. This Friday sees the start of the
52nd FIL Luge World Championships in Altenberg (GER), supported by BMW
as main partner. In front of a home crowd, the German team is aiming
to build on its impressive record of successes at major events. In
this respect, the BSD has been relying on support from technology
partner BMW since 2010. In luging, the technology transfer from
automotive research, development and production focuses on data-driven
optimisation of the complex system of luge, athlete, and racing line.
The ‘BMW Data Coach’ consists of sensors installed in the training
sleds. These measure a range of dynamic data regarding longitudinal
and lateral speed, acceleration and yaw rates, and deliver
high-resolution recordings. The sensors work in tandem with bespoke
analysis software for data evaluation, which can precisely reconstruct
each run. This technology has long been an established part of motor
racing and the BMW Group and the BSD have been working to refine its
application for luging since 2016. Thanks to the analysis of numerous
runs on one and the same track, the steadily growing trove of data
delivers increasingly accurate insights into the ideal material and
the fastest individual racing line – as well as revealing dependencies
on external conditions.
The software has been developed and optimized by multiple Junior
World Luge Champion Dr. Julian von Schleinitz, who benefits from his
experience as an athlete and his expertise as a data scientist at the
BMW Group. At any moment between the start and finish of a run, the
‘BMW Data Coach’ is able to show the on-track position of the luge,
the speed, acceleration, steering movements, drift and much more. It
can also compare this data with other runs. “This allows us to
recognise even the most minor steering errors and identify the ideal
racing line, the most promising material and the perfect luge set-up,”
says von Schleinitz. “Getting the set-up just right and staying on the
ideal line become more crucial for longer ice channels – and this
year’s World Championship track in Altenberg is very long.”
Objective analysis reveals that the ideal line and the best material
may not be the same for every athlete. Nonetheless, comparing datasets
for two athletes is what leads to further key insights. Multiple
Olympic and world champion Felix Loch has been working with the ‘BMW
Data Coach’ for some time and Max Langenhan, currently topping the
overall World Cup standings, started to use the technology this
season. “The fact that Max and I are working together benefits us
both,” says Loch. “We can watch our races together on the computer in
the most minute detail, which allows us to spot the best racing line
and compare our materials.”
Data collected thus far shows that Langenhan and Loch are following
slightly different racing lines in Altenberg. These differences have
been analysed in simulations ahead of the World Championships,
allowing the athletes to draw their individual conclusions.
“Altenberg is a very sophisticated and varied track with a host of
technical aspects. You can lose a lot of time between turn 1 and turn
18,” says Langenhan. “That makes it all the more important to stay on
the ideal line for the whole run and stamp out the little slips that
you might not even notice on the luge, but which are clear for all to
see in the data. The BMW Data Coach is already working like a world
champion, and now we just have to turn that into results.”
Today’s sprint races will provide the first opportunity to do just
that. Saturday will feature the medal races for the men’s singles and
women’s and men’s doubles. The World Championships wrap up on Sunday
with the women’s singles and the team relay.
