British Bobsleigh Association
Bobsleigh
Bobsleigh was invented by a group of English men on holiday in Switzerland in 1890. Their aim was to create a sled that could carry two or more people down a snow-covered road between St Moritz and Celerina.
The new sport immediately caught on and a special track, complete with banked curves, made of ice, was constructed next to the road in 1902.
The first races were for 5 and 6 people and a requirement of the competition was that each crew included at least one woman. This requirement was dropped in the 1930s and the disciplines altered to 2 and 4 man events.
It has been part of the official programme since the First Olympic Winter Games in Chamonix, with the four-man and two-man events being added in 1932. Two-women Bobsleigh was a new event introduced in Salt Lake City 2002.
Bobsleigh has evolved over the years into a dramatically exciting and demanding sport.
The aerodynamic sleighs race down the 1,300m course at top speeds, the fastest recorded speed being 143 km / hr and has led to Bobsleigh being called the Formula One on ice.
The bobsleighs themselves are extremely expensive high technology machines made from steel, aluminium and composites. The bobsleigher of today is a highly trained athlete, and a good start at the beginning of the run (lauf) is vital.
The team pushes the sleigh and boards and the brakeman jumps in 50 to 60m from the start point. Speed is crucial at this first stage and many top track sprinters make the transition from Athletics to Bobsleigh. Once in the sleigh, the pilot is the only one who can see ahead and steers to avoid the walls. The other crew members keep their heads down, forming a compact surface with minimum drag. The brake is only used to stop the sleigh after passing the finish line.
It is the pilot's responsibility to steer the bobsleigh down the track in the most time-efficient way possible.Whilst the pilot's experience and skill are crucial, the brakeman needs strength and agility to push the sleigh.
Bobsleigh is a team sport and teamwork is the essential ingredient in order to create the perfect harmony necessary to complete a successful run from start to finish.
The athleticism of the start is breath-taking: the power and co-ordination of an international rugby pack negotiating the high hurdles - in scrum formation - on ice!
Awesome!