The decision to award the Austrian municipality the event was taken at the International Luge Federation (FIL) Congress in Constanţa in Romania.

Umhausen, which has a population of around 3,200, last hosted the competition back in 2011.

Vatra Dornei in Russia staged the previous edition of the World Luge Natural Track Championships from February 2 to 5.

Austria is also due to host the 2018 Natural Track European Championships in Sankt Sebastian.

Natural tracks are one of two facilities which form the main part of the FIL competition calendar along with artificial tracks.

The sport’s worldwide governing body hold several major events on natural tracks, including World, European and Junior Championships and a World Cup series.

World Cup competitions on natural tracks were held in six different locations from December 2016 to February of this year.

Kühtai in Austria played host to the season-opening World Cup event, before the series moved to Latsch in Italy and then on to the Russian capital of Moscow.

Further events were then held in Zelezniki in Slovenia and Deutschnofen in Italy, before the World Cup campaign ended in Umhausen.

Natural tracks are adapted from existing mountain roads and paths and artificially banked curves are not permitted.

They must be horizontal and they are naturally iced as there is no artificial refrigeration.