The Skeleton at the Winter Olympics
Skeleton is the newest sliding sport at the Olympics. It got its name from the first small sleds athletes used in Switzerland in the late 1800s to race down an ice track face first. Those sleds were made of metal and looked a bit like a skeleton. Today's skeleton sleds are made of fiberglass and metal.
The men's skeleton competition was a part of the 1928 and 1948 Winter Olympics, both of which where hosted by St. Moritz, Switzerland. Both men's and women's skeleton became permanent events at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah. The United States dominated in 2002, but in 2006 Canada led the way with a gold and silver in the men's competition and a bronze in the women's.
How the Skeleton Competition Works
In the skeleton, the start is all important and strong legs are required. The athletes, who wear spiked shoes, grab the sled and sprint for about 50 metres (55 yards) on the icy track, then dive onto the skeleton sled face first. They steer by adjusting their body weight.
The format for the skeleton has changed since 2006. In 2010, each skeleton event will consist of four runs held over two days. The times are added and the fastest time decides the winner. The runs are timed electronically to the hundredth of a second.
Skeleton Venue at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics
The skeleton events at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics are held at the Whistler Sliding Centre on Blackcomb Mountain. The Whistler Sliding Centre has the capacity for 12,000 fans.
Skeleton Schedule at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics
The skeleton events at the Vancouver 2010 Olympics are held over two days with both the men's and women's medal sessions held on Friday February 19, 2010. For more details on the Olympics skeleton schedule see:
