WITH BAUERFEIND PRODUCTS IN THE ICE CANAL
German luger allows his lead vest to be custom made, 10/05/2006
Three lugers in the Olympic support point Oberhof now have custom made lead vests from Bauerfeind: Anja Eberhardt, Johannes Ludwig and Robert Eschrich received them for use in the ice canal to help balance out weight. Jan Eichhorn – sixth place in the Olympics in Turin and already equipped with a Bauerfeind iron vest – was with them on location to advise his teammates.
In general an excellent physical condition and required training is necessary for top competition. In the luge the right material and equipment are also determining factors resulting in a difference of a tenth or thousandth of a second. Aerodynamics and weight also play crucial roles. To keep the playing field level, large weight differences between the athletes can be evened out.
This is where the iron vests come into play – in the truest sense of the word. Johannes Ludwig can legitimately carry up to 6 kilograms in his iron vest, for example. Equalization weight for men is 90 kilograms; maximally 75 percent of the difference between their own body weights can be equalized with the weight.
Due to aerodynamics the weight needs to be very close to the body. The iron vests fulfill this requirement, as Bauerfeind already produced some in preparation for the Olympic Games in Turin according to the needs of the German lugers. Now the up and comers can profit from the know-how of the medical product manufacturer from Zeulenroda in Thuringen.
An appointment is made for fitting and finishing the vests. Then: ‘The important points to change will be evident on the course,” said national trainer Bernhard Glass, who followed the test at the Olympic support point Oberhof with watchful eyes. “Through our experience with iron vests with Sylke Otto and Silke Kraushaar we know that Bauerfeind does good work. Their on-location service means a lot to us.” And this shows through the individual care of every single athlete. So the 23 year old Anja Eberhardt received a kind of “body” that lies close to the body and adds pounds. The men required smaller vests fixated by shoulder straps.
During the first test in Oberhof overall satisfaction was achieved. Luger Robert Eschrich from Schmiedefeld pointed out: “Thanks to the vest the iron is close the body and doesn’t swing any more. Before it was partly fixated with a kidney strap and could slip.” With speeds of up to 130 kilometers per hour it is imperative that the iron vest fit well. The orthopedic technical support team from Bauerfeind is in constant close contact with the athletes and can quickly adjust the fit if needed.
