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Bobsleigh
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Bobsleigh...
... or bobsled, or bobsledding is a winter sport that is similar to luge in that it involves racing down an incline course in a sled to make the best time. The main difference is bobsleigh has teams of two or four, working together to make the sharp turns. It's filled with dangers and a popular Olympic event.
The track shown below is the one used for the 2012 Winter Youth Olympic Games (YOG) for Bobsleigh, Luge, and Skeleton in Innisbrook, Norway January 13 - 22.
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Course Layout:
- A typical bobsleigh course similar to the ones for luge and skeleton
- Most are made of concrete and coated in ice, running about 1200 to 1300 meters long and having at least 15 curves
- Most bobsleigh runs follow the curves of the terrain to minimize environmental impact
- The start of the race is known as the “push-off stretch”, a straight path wide enough to allow the athletes to push the sled
Equipment:
- Sled - made with a steel frame with a fiberglass shell that’s closed in front and open in back, with a fixed set of rear runners, a movable set of front runners, collapsible push-bars for the driver and crewmen and fixed push-bars for the brakeman, a steering system and a jagged metal brake on a lever that’s used to stop the sled at the end
- Helmet - worn by athletes during run, looking similar to motorcycle helmet, may have a visor or athlete may wear goggles
- Suit - skintight body-suit usually made of Lycra with a polyurethane coating designed to diminish wind resistance
- Start shoes - made of synthetic materials with spikes on the soles to provide traction during the start push
What the judges look for:
- Teams meeting the minimum weight for a four-man sled - 463 lbs when empty; a maximum 1,389 lbs with crew and equipment - additional weight can be added to meet requirements
- Sled embellishments - decorations and sponsor logos are allowed, but hulls cannot be transparent or fragile enough to break on impact with the track
- Sled runners must be blunt, polished until smooth to minimize friction between them and the ice
- Runners cannot be heated, or have any kind of coating, plating or lubricant
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Strategy:
At the start of each race, bobsleigh teams push the sled while running as fast as they can to gain momentum. After the push-off (which takes 6 seconds), the athletes jump into the sled as its moving, with the driver getting in first and the brakeman last. The driver and gravity help determine the race, the driver using precise movements to steer down the run. The other members of the team, the crewmen and the brakeman, also help with the steering by shifting their weight simultaneously when necessary. The brakeman then uses the brake to stop the sled after the team crosses the finish line. Just like in luge, bobsleigh teams who cross the finish line can still qualify even after overturning, so long as they are still in their sled.
More... as mentioned, the same course is being used for three different events: Bobsleigh, Skeleton, and Luge. The obvious differences are in the equipment used; the position of the racers during the race - prone or sitting; and the starting and ending points on the course with some course variation.
CHART BELOW: We added these winter "one-pagers" to our Sports Know-How category in time for the Winter Youth Olympic Games (YOG) that were held in January 2012. We got inspired by the 2012 London Summer Games to add to our Summer Sports category. We'll be adding sports periodically so keep checking back. If the titles are shining brightly in white text, they're ready for you to click on! ^.^
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