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Bobsledding
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"Well begun is three fourths done" could well be the motto of the sport known as bobsledding. A powerful start can ensure speed right till the sled reaches the end of its course. Sleds are something everyone is familiar with - a mode of transport used on ice and snow. The earlier part of the word "bob" refers to the bobbing heads of its participants. Early participants used to bob their heads
vigorously in order to gain momentum. Bobbing heads did not help but the right kind of start did, still the word stuck.
The action
This all-important start calls for the team members to sprint and
push the sled forward. A team could have either two or four members
depending on the event. The sprint usually covers 50 m. The two important positions occupied by the team members are those of the driver - the person in front, and the brakeman - the one in the rear portion of the sled. If a team has four members then two team members place themselves in the middle. Their contribution is imperative for a powerful start. And when the sled winds its way through a course they shift their weight in order to give the sled a smooth and easy turn. All the while the driver steers the sled with all attempts being made to avoid skidding. Once at the finish the brakeman brings the sled to a stop.
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The equipment
The equipment that is used for bobsledding is designed specifically
to withstand the rigors that the sleds and the participants
undergo. The participants' shoes have special spikes that give them
a good grip when they sprint at the beginning of the race - the
maximum length of the spikes is specified. Their clothes need to be
skintight to give them an advantage in terms of speed. Helmets, it
goes without saying, are compulsory. The lead participant known as
the driver is required to wear goggles. The sleds used also need to
adhere to specifications regarding length, weight, and material that
it is made of. Early sleds used to be made of wood and had no
brakes. Later they were made of steel and modern technology was used
to give it a design best suited for the purpose.
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The Course
The courses or trails through which the sleds run are constructed on
hillsides or on artificial slopes and they look like roofless
tunnels. They are given a base of either stone or concrete and then
this base is covered with snow and ice. A course can measure 1200 to
1600 m in length and the drop in height along the course measures up
to 125 m. The path at times takes 360º turns. Some curves have banks
on both sides that may rise up to 6 m. The riders need to exercise
great care while traversing these banked curves.
The Competition
A competition requires each participating team to undertake training
runs and then a couple of heats. The time taken by them is clocked
and the team with the lowest combined time is declared the winner.
There are two types of events - two man runs and four man runs. A
maximum limit for the combined sled and team weight has been laid
down for each event.
The International standards and events
There is an international organization that sets down guidelines and
standards to be followed. These standards cover all aspects of the
game like course length and design, equipment used and other rules
governing the competition. These guidelines are very essential as
bobsledding involves a lot of risk and many accidents have been
known to occur. The winner is often determined by a difference of a
mere fraction of a second. Electronic clocks are used for accuracy.
Bobsledding is a part of the Winter Olympic Games. The other
international events that are held are the World Championships and
the Annual World Cup.
The historical trail
The history of bobsledding dates back to the 1800s. The first
bobsled event was held in Europe. Needless to say the
type of equipment involved ensured that the participants were
wealthy people. The first organized competition in this sport was
held in Switzerland in 1898. And in 1924 bobsledding made its
appearance in the Winter Olympics, the venue was Chamonix. The first
world championships were held in Switzerland in 1927. Early
championships were dominated by American and British nationals.
Later the Swiss also made their presence felt. Switzerland's Fritz
Feierabend introduced a new sled with tempered steel runners in
1931. This design was used for the next twenty years. He also won
several championships. There have been outstanding sledders from
Italy and Germany, also. In the 1980s the sport of bobsledding
became popular in other parts of the world and attracted more
participants, even from countries that never have snow. Both men and
women participate in this sport. |
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