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Bobsleigh
Updated: 2006-02-10 14:30
Bobsleigh racing was developed in search of the ultimate thrill by the 19th
century.
A view of the
illuminated track for the Luge, Bobsleigh and Skeleton events of the
Torino 2006 Winter Olympic Games in Cesana Pariol, Italy February 6, 2006.
[Reuters] |
Considered the world's first
sliding sport, skeleton originated in the Swiss town of St. Moritz in the late
1800s. The first competition was held in 1884. Riders raced down the road from
St. Moritz to Celerina, where the winner received a bottle of champagne. It
wasn't until 1887 that riders began competing in the prone position used today.
The sport took its name in 1892, when a new sled made mostly of metal was
introduced. People thought it looked like a skeleton.
The sport's governing body, the Federation Internationale de Bobsleigh et
Tobagganing (FIBT), was founded in 1923. This competition has been part of the
official programme since the 1st Olympic Winter Games in Chamonix Mont Blanc in
1924.
LIST OF DISCIPLINES
This sport includes several Olympic disciplines. Discover the sport through
its competition format, equipment, glossary and history.
Bobsleigh
Skeleton
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