(NEXSTAR) – Luge events at the Winter Olympics will begin Feb. 7, showcasing the world's fastest sliding sport. A record 11 American athletes are set to compete this year. Luge made its Olympic debut in 1964, where athletes race feet first on a sled at speeds exceeding 80 miles per hour. Competitors complete four runs over two days and their cumulative times determine their rankings, with gold awarded for the lowest total time. Erin Hamlin made history in 2014 as the first American to medal in Olympic Singles luge, securing a bronze medal. Chris Mazdzer followed with a silver medal in 2018 during the Winter Olympics held in South Korea, marking a significant achievement for the U.S. in luge. Summer Britcher is expected to be a formidable contender in the upcoming Olympics, having competed in four different Olympic Games. Currently ranked fourth in the world, Britcher has claimed two World Cup victories this season, boosting her medal potential in Cortina. For the men's side, Jonny Gustafson is returning to the Olympics after finishing 19th four years ago. This year, he hopes to improve upon his last performance as he competes among the best. The first day of luge competition is scheduled for Feb. 7, featuring both men's singles and the newly added women's doubles events, showcasing Sophia Kirkby and Chevonne Forgin, who finished last season ranked third in the world. All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by Nexstar. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat from a broadcast script into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by Nexstar staff before being published