Vorläufen

Vorläufen is the plural form of the German noun Vorlauf in certain grammatical cases. In the nominative plural the normal form is Vorläufe, while Vorläufen is used in the dative plural. The term appears in several technical contexts, where it denotes different concepts.

In sports, Vorlauf (plural Vorläufe) refers to preliminary rounds that determine which competitors advance to later stages such as semi-finals or finals. Vorläufe are common in track and field, swimming, and other time-based or heat-based disciplines. The specific qualification rules vary by event and competition, but typical formats include automatic qualification for a fixed number of top finishers per heat and sometimes additional spots based on the fastest remaining times.

In brewing and some related processes, Vorlauf denotes the initial portion of wort drawn from the mash tun during lautering, before the main run. This pre-run is usually lighter in color and sugar content and serves to rinse the grain bed and improve wort clarity. Depending on the brewery and recipe, the Vorlauf may be collected separately, adjusted, or discarded before the main wort is collected for boiling.

Etymology and usage notes: Vorlauf combines vor- (before) and Lauf (run). While Vorläufe is the standard plural in many contexts, Vorläufen appears as the dative plural form, for example in phrases like „mit den Vorläufen“ or „den Vorläufen des Wettbewerbs“. See also Vorlauf, the singular form with its specialized meanings.