Bobsleigh

Ask people about the sport of bobsleigh and many immediately think of the movie Cool Runnings featuring the Jamaican bobsleigh team. Get them to think about it more and they are blown away by the skill, explosive power and extreme danger that comprises ‘Formula 1 on ice’.

Australian Olympic bobsleigh pilot (driver) from the 2006 Games Jeremy Rolleston explains this sport.

The sport became a phenomenon in the late 19th century in the Europeans Alps as an extension of the toboggan. The first “bobs” were built in 1886 and were raced down icy, winding roads. Bobsleigh clubs were formed, the bobsleigh itself was developed and the need for purpose-built tracks and standardised rules became evident. Today bobsleighs get up to speeds of over 150km/hr flying down the icy track. The Whistler Sliding Centre where events for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games will take place is rated as the fastest in the world.

Australia and bobsleigh

Australia first competed in bobsleigh at Calgary 1988. There were two two-man teams and one four-man team. Australia has been represented at every Games since Calgary with the exception of Salt Lake 2002.

The best Australian two-man result was Jason Giobbi and Adam Barclay at Nagano 1998 and equalled Jeremy Rolleston and Shane McKenzie at Torino 2006 who also placed 22nd. Justin McDonald, Glenn Carroll, Scott Walker and Adam Barclay achieved the best four-man result of 20th at Lillehammer 1994.
At Torino, Australia was represented for the first time ever in the women's event by Astrid Loch-Wilkinson and Kylie Reed who placed 14th.

Competition Format / Events

Bobsleigh consists of three events in the Olympic programme; the male four-man and two-man and women’s two person event.

Each event consists of four heats, held on two consecutive days. The four runs are timed to 0.01 seconds. The final standings are determined by the total time over the four runs; the winner is the sled with the lowest aggregate time. If two teams complete the competition in a tie, they are awarded the same place.

The athletes push the bobsleigh reaching speeds of about 40km/h before they jump onto it. Once the crew is loaded, the pilot steers the sled through twisting, high speed turns and straightaways where top speeds can reach over 150km/h. The success of a team hinges on the initial pushing phase, as well as the steering and the materials of the sled (the sled and blades). Maximum sled weight of the combined team and equipment is specified, and the temperature of the runners measured prior to the competition to deter warming.

If the bobsleigh overturns, but all members of the team have passed the finish line inside it, the descent is considered valid. At the 2006 Olympics in Torino, for the first time, only the 20 best-ranked sleds completed the fourth run.