To the average spectator, skeleton looks like a sport custom-made for maniacs. In contrast to luge or bobsled, the individual competitors hurtle face-first down the high-banked, ice-covered track. Despite its harrowing appearance, the sport has proven to be relatively safe. In the United States, it can be difficult to find skeleton events on the television outside of the Winter Olympics. The sport enjoys its greatest popularity in the Alpine countries of Europe where it was born.
Origins of the Sport
Skeleton skiing originated in Switzerland in the late 19th century. The first tracks were straight downhill and incorporated the natural landscapes. Only later were tracks permanently constructed. Skeleton actually predates bobsledding, although it wasn't reintroduced as a Winter Olympic sport until 2002. The origins of the name are mysterious; some argue that it resembles the German word for sled, while others claim the sled looks like a skeleton.
Equipment
Skeleton sleds are made of a dense fiberglass upper section joined to two steel runners. Riders can alter their direction by shifting their weight left or right at the front of the sled. Skeleton's international governing body, the Fédération Internationale de Bobsleigh et de Tobogganing, or FIBT, has standardized the design parameters of all sleds, ensuring fair and equal competition. A skeleton has no brakes, so each track includes a long runoff area with powder snow or padding to slow the rider at the end of a race.
Racing Circuits
Modern skeleton events almost always take place on artificial ice surfaces. The tracks themselves also are artificial rather than carved from the land. The corners of a skeleton track are exceptionally high, with racers' bodies perpendicular to the ground throughout the turn. The typical course is nearly a mile long and descends in elevation at specified distances. Skeleton and bobsled events often share the same tracks.
Competitors
Skeleton races were held at both the 1928 and 1948 Winter Olympics. The revival of skeleton after more than 50 years for the 2002 games meant that the races were wide open, with no clear front-runner among the competing nations. Both men and women compete in professional skeleton events, though not against each other. Skeleton racing requires less outright skill or physical fitness than other sports, such as downhill skiing. What it does require is a certain amount of bravado since top speeds on a typical skeleton track may exceed 80 mph.
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