Skeleton

What is skeleton?

In skeleton, the athlete lies face down, head pointing in the direction of travel, chin hovering just a few centimetres above the ice. The sled is a flat steel frame with two runners, with no steering and no brake. Races take place on the same tracks as bobsleigh and luge.

The start

A skeleton race begins with a sprint. The athlete runs bent over alongside the sled, pushing it with one hand, and after a few metres dives onto it head first. Their shoes have small spikes for this. A fast start is crucial, because every hundredth lost carries through the whole run. Many skeleton athletes therefore come from athletics.

Steering with the body

Steering is done solely through body movements: pressure from a shoulder or knee on the side of the sled, small shifts of the head and feet. The feet occasionally touch the ice briefly to correct, but that costs speed. The art lies in finding the ideal line through the corners with as few corrections as possible.

Equipment and rules

Sled and athlete are subject to weight limits set by the IBSF. Lighter athletes may add ballast up to a maximum. The runners are steel and must not be heated; their temperature is checked. A helmet with chin guard and a tight-fitting suit are mandatory. At the Olympic Games and World Championships, four runs are raced and the times added together.

History: from the Cresta Run to the Olympics

Skeleton's roots lie in St. Moritz. The Cresta Run, a natural ice track on which riders still go head first today, was built there in 1884. Cresta riders, however, use sleds with a sliding seat and their own rules; the Cresta Run is a tradition of its own. Skeleton was Olympic in 1928 and 1948, both times in St. Moritz. The sport then disappeared from the programme and only returned in 2002 in Salt Lake City, since then with a women's event too.

Where the name comes from isn't entirely clear. A common explanation is that the early metal sleds resembled a skeleton.

Successes from Germany, Austria and Switzerland

Germany is among the world's best. In Beijing 2022, Christopher Grotheer and Hannah Neise both won Olympic gold. In Austria, Janine Flock has been one of the strongest women in the World Cup for many years. Switzerland, with St. Moritz, is a historic reference point for the sport. Tracks in the German-speaking region include Königssee, Altenberg, Winterberg, Oberhof and Igls.

Getting started

Skeleton is often described as a sport for career changers. Federations regularly scout sprinters and track athletes. First runs are made from lower start points at lower speeds, accompanied by coaches. Taster courses for recreational athletes are rare, but some tracks offer guest rides.

Curious and little known

• During the run, athletes hold on to handles on the sides of the sled, arms tight against the body. This keeps the frontal area as small as possible.
• In the mixed team event, a woman and a man go one after the other and their times are added. It was added to the Olympic programme for the 2026 Winter Games.