The Race
Bobsleigh teams consist of a brakeman and a pilot in the two-man event and a brakeman, two crewmen and a pilot in the four-man. In World Cup competitions, two heats are held over one day in each event. At the Olympic Games and World Championships (held annually except in an Olympic year), four heats are held over two days in both the two-man and four-man events. The crew with the lowest combined time for all events is the winner.
There are also America Cup and Europe Cup race series. Development level circuits for the newer teams, these races allow the teams to gain experience and earn the qualifications needed to compete at the World Cup and World Championship level. In addition to the senior World Championships, athletes under the age of 26 can compete in the junior World Championships.
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Start Times
The time it takes the sled to travel the first 65 metres down the track is the most critical part of a bobsleigh run. Without a competitive start — at least within 1/10 of a second of the fastest crew — a medal finish is next to impossible. As a rule, a 1/10 of a second lead at the start translates into a 3/10 of a second advantage by the bottom of the course.
Bobsledders are looking for maximum power and acceleration as they push the sled from a standing start. In both the two-man and four-man events, the first 65 metres are typically covered in about five seconds while reaching speeds of more than 40 kilometres per hour.
Driving
Once the crew has loaded into the sled at the start, it is the driver's job to steer the sled through twisting, high-speed turns and straightaways where top speeds can reach more than 140 kilometres per hour. Pull too hard on the steering ropes and the sled will skid, losing valuable time. Steer too little and the sled is at the mercy of the track, causing a slow time at best, and a crash at worst.
Drivers often talk of the "feel" they need to have to race well and the sense they develop of when to let the sled run and when to steer. Just as downhill skiers try different lines to find the quickest way down a slope, so too do bobsleigh drivers study every twist and turn on a track to figure out the fastest way to the finish.
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Ranking
In World Cup competition, points are awarded to the top 30 finishers in each World Cup race. World Cup titles in two-man, four-man and women's bobsleigh are won by teams accumulating the most points over the season. At the World Championships, medals are awarded to the top three crews in both the two-man and four-man events.
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Tracks
Bobsleigh races historically took place on natural ice tracks. Today, most competitions take place on tracks with a refrigerated ice surface. A notable exception is the natural ice track in St. Moritz — a regular stop on the World Cup circuit. Most tracks are about 1,500 metres long and all have unique characteristics and varying degrees of difficulty. All courses drop a minimum specified vertical distance and feature numerous banked curves from top to bottom.
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The Sled
The bobsleigh is very aerodynamic; the hull of the bobsleigh (cowling) is made of fiberglass and is constructed onto a steel chassis/frame. The sled runs on four highly polished steel runners. The two front runners are mounted on a steering pin, providing approximately three inches of lateral movement and are controlled by ropes held by the driver who steers the sled. The brake handles are located on either side of the brakeman in the four-man sled and in front of the brakeman in the two-man sled.
The temperature of the steel runners is taken electronically immediately prior to each race heat. Heating of the runners is illegal. Increasing the runner temperature provides a competitive advantage as the runners melt the ice beneath them which creates a film between the ice and runners, increasing the speed of the sled on the ice. This process must be regulated in order to carry out a fair competition. At the finish line, the sled and crew are weighed to ensure that they are below the maximum weight. To place all competitors on equal footing, sleds are standardized according to specifications set by the International Bobsleigh and Tobogganing Federation (FIBT).
* Maximum weight includes the crew, along with their personal equipment (such as helmets and shoes). Since a heavier sled will go faster once it is hurtling down the track, crews which don't meet the maximum are allowed to place weight bars inside the sled. The disadvantage of adding weight bars, however, is it makes the sled harder to push from a standing start.
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Equipment
Bobsledders wear full face motorcycle-type helmets and skin-tight racing uniforms made from a stretch material. Racing shoes have small spikes on the soles for traction on the ice. Drivers must wear goggles and most wear gloves, although some prefer bare hands for better feel of the steering ropes. Some riders wear elbow and shoulder padding under their racing suits.
International Sport Federation (IF)
International Bobsleigh and Tobogganing Federation (FIBT)
www.fibt.com
Canadian National Sport Organization (NSO)
Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton (BCS)
www.bobsleigh.ca
BC Provincial Sport Organization
BC Bobsleigh and Skeleton Association
www.slidebc.ca
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