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Bobsleigh involves two exciting event; two-man and Monobob, where the athletes push a 170kg sled as fast as they can. The sled, called a bobsleigh, is a low-profile vehicle relies solely on gravity for speed. The winner of the race is the team with the fastest 2 runs, combined down the track.
The sport requires a combination of speed, strength, agility, and teamwork. The two events for the women include Monobob (one person bobsleigh) and the Two-woman event.
The team members in the Two-woman event push the sled together to generate the fastest start possible. The pilot, who sits in the front of the sled, steers the bobsleigh down the track, making split-second decisions to optimise their speed and maintain control.
In the Monobob event, the pilot pushes and drives the sled alone.
Bobsleigh is a team winter sport that has been around in the 19th century based in locations around the world that experience colder winter climates. Generally, the tracks are open from October through til the end of March and requires the use of refrigerated ice tracks, with the exception of the St Mortiz track in Switzerland where it is constructed with snow each year. There are only tracks located in the Northern Hemisphere, spanning across Europe, North America and Asia.
Europe
Germany – Winterberg, Altenberg, Königssee
Austria – Innsbruck (Igls)
Switzerland – St Mortiz
France – La Plagne
Norway – Lillehammer
Latvia – Sigulda
Italy – Cortina (2026 Olympic Location)
Russia – Sochi
North America
USA – Lake Placid, Salt Lake
Canada – Whistler
Asia
China – Beijing
South Korea – PyeongChang
Did you know that 27.5 million viewers across all platforms (according to ispot.tv) with 24 million viewers on NBC alone, tuned into the medal event in the Women’s Monobob making it the peak moment of the entire Olympic Winter Games.
Bobsleigh has a global reach as World Cup races are broadcasted all across North America and Europe on a weekly basis. With the introduction of Monobob the popularity of the sport continues to grow.
Bobsleigh is an expensive sport in which the athletes are required to compete across the globe, from Europe, North America to Asia. This includes travel, flights and accomodation costs quickly accumulate, all on top of maintain training regimes and allied therapy costs.
To be successful in Bobsleigh, athletes need to pay for top of the line sleds which generally cost minimum of 60,000 euros. Necessary expenses such as equipment, training and competition can be very costly and a season can easily cost Bree upwards of $200,000.
In the Monobob, the sleds can reach speeds up to 130km per hour, and the two-woman sleds can reach speeds of up to 140km per hour.
The length of a bobsled track can vary, but the average length is around 1,500 to 1,600 meters (4,920 to 5,250 feet). Some tracks can be longer, while others may be shorter. A typical run lasts for 1 minute.
A two-man sled has a minimum weight of 170 kilograms, with a maximum of 330 kilograms. Whereas a Monobob sled has a minimum weight of 163 kilograms, and a maximum weight of 248 kilograms. The maximum weight includes the athletes.
Bobsledders steer the sled with D-rings like a go-cart pull system.
Bobsleigh is primarily a competitive sport, but there are opportunities for individuals to try it recreationally. Some bobsled tracks offer taxi-bobs also known as “guest rides” where people can experience a ride in a bobsled with a professional pilot.
The winner of a bobsleigh race is determined based on the fastest time achieved over multiple runs combined.
Bobsleigh carries inherent risks due to the high speeds involved, but strict safety measures are in place to minimise risks. Athletes wear protective gear, tracks are designed with safety in mind, and there are regulations and rules to ensure safe competition.
Bobsleigh and skeleton are very different in many aspects, but the main difference is the position in which the athlete rides the sled. In bobsleigh, athletes ride in a seated position, whereas in skeleton, they ride face-down, headfirst on their stomachs.
At the end of a run, bobsleds have a braking system that is operated by the brakeman. The brakeman uses a lever or a drag brake to slow down the sled and bring it to a stop.
However, in the Monobob event, the pilot has to drive and pull the brake at the finish.
To get involved in competitive bobsleigh, individuals typically need to have a background in athletics, such as track and field or other power/speed-based sports. They can then reach out to a National athlete such as Bree, the National Bobsleigh Federation or participate in a talent identification program to start their journey in the sport.