Skeleton

winter sports · speed · ice sliding · extreme

Racing Headfirst. Skeleton athletes lie face-down on a small sled called a skeleton bobsled and race down a frozen track at incredibly high speeds. They steer by shifting their weight and pushing with their feet.

Strange Name Origin. The sled is called a 'skeleton' because its frame looks like a ribcage or skeleton. The name is a bit spooky, but it stuck around!

Frozen Track Challenge. The tracks are icy tubes that twist and turn with steep drops. Athletes must memorize every curve and angle to go as fast as possible without crashing.

Quick Start Matters. At the beginning of each race, skeleton athletes sprint while pushing their heavy sled to get it moving as fast as they can. The faster the start, the better the final time.

Olympic Sport. Skeleton is featured in the Winter Olympics, where the fastest individual athletes from around the world compete to win gold medals.