Bobsleigh

winter sports · speed · teamwork · ice

Teams race downhill. Bobsleigh teams of two to four athletes jump into a sleigh and zoom down a narrow, icy track as fast as they can. The whole race is timed, so the fastest team wins.

Gravity does the work. The sleigh is powered by gravity pulling it downhill, not by engines or pedals. The athletes have to push hard at the start to get the sleigh moving, then steer it around the twisting, banked turns.

Tracks are tricky. Bobsleigh tracks are specially designed with narrow lanes and banked curves that tilt to help the sleigh go faster around corners. These icy tracks are found at winter sports venues around the world.

International competition. Bobsleigh competitions are organized by the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation, which makes sure all the rules are fair and the same everywhere. Athletes from many countries compete against each other.

Teamwork matters. Every athlete on the team has an important job, from the driver who steers to the pushers who get the sleigh started. A team that works together smoothly can move much faster than one that doesn't.