Skeleton in the Winter Olympics

What is Skeleton?

• Skeleton or tobogganing, is a winter sport in which one person rides a sled down an ice track, laying face down.

• Skeleton comes from the original British sport, Cresta Sledding.

The History of Skeleton

• The game skeleton was originally made in the year of 1882.

• It was made when British soldiers located in Switzerland made a track between the two cities Davos and Klosters.

• As it grew popular in Europe, it turned into the sport that is recognized today, in the Winter Olympics.

The Toboggan

• The toboggan, or the sled used for skeleton, is the normal form of transportation used by the Innu and the Cree of Canada.

• The toboggan is made of bound, wood, that are all bent to make a J shape.

• A loop is made from rope to provide the steering.• Modern toboggans are made from either wood,

aluminum or plastic.

The Rules of Skeleton

• It has to use the same track as bobsleigh and luge, and should be at lest 1312 yards long.

• Competitors must start with a running “push”.• After the competitor pushes they must dive onto

the sled and takes on the track.• Competitors must lie down with arms straight

down and their side.• Only the force made by the competitor and

gravity are permitted to push the sled.• The sled must be steered by the movements of

the competitors body.

The Track

• Skeleton uses the same track as bobsleigh and luge.

• Most competitions take place on man made ice tracks, but some are natural ice tracks.

• Most tracks have 15 bends though the original track contained only 10.

Skeleton Equipment

• Alpine racing helmet with chin guard/or a specific skeleton racing helmet

• Skin tight “speedsuit”

• Spiked shoes

• Goggles/face shield

• Elbow and shoulder pads (optional)

Men’s Skeleton Champs1928: (US) Jennison Heaton (Gold) (US) John Heaton (Silver) (GBR) David Carnegie (Bronze 1948: (ITA) Nino Bibbia (Gold) (US) John Heaton (Silver) (GBR) John Crammond (Bronze) 2002: (US) Jimmy Shea (Gold) (AUT) Martin Rettl (Silver) (SUI) Gregor Stahli (Bronze)

2006: (CAN) Duff Gibson (Gold) (CAN) Jeff Pain (Silver) (Gregor Stahli (Bronze)

Women’s Skeleton Champs2002: (US) Tristan Gale (Gold) (US) Lea Ann Parsley (Silver) (GBR) Alex Coomber (Bronze)

2006: (SUI) Maya Pedersen (Gold) (GBR) Shelley Rudman (Silver) (CAN) Mellissa Hollingsworth-Richards (Bronze)

Medals Won Each Year

Austria- Won 1st and only medal in 2002

Canada- Won 3 in 2006

Great Britain- Won 1 in 1928, 1 in 1948, 1 in 2002 and 1 in 2006

Italy- Won 1st and only medal in 1948

Switzerland- Won 1 in 2002 and 2 in 2006

United States- Won 2 in 1928, 1 in 1948 and 3 in 2002

Sources• http://www.omega.ch/fileadmin/images/1948-b.jpg• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_Winter_Olympics• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toboggan• http://www.splashandrelax.co.uk/custom/upload/images/products/1/700x700/SL_DAV90.jpg• http://visual.merriam-webster.com/images/sports-games/winter-sports/track.jpg• http://www.icerush.co.uk/Images/NewPics/skeleton-section.jpg• http://images.google.com/images?gbv=2&hl=en&um=1&sa=1&q=austria+flag&aq=f&oq=&aqi=g2

&start=0• http://images.google.com/images?gbv=2&hl=en&um=1&sa=1&q=canadian+flag&aq=f&oq=&aqi=

g10&start=0• http://images.google.com/images?gbv=2&hl=en&um=1&sa=1&q=italian+flag&aq=f&oq=&aqi=g10

&start=0• http://images.google.com/images?gbv=2&hl=en&um=1&sa=1&q=switzerland+flag&aq=f&oq=&aqi

=g10&start=0• http://images.google.com/images?gbv=2&hl=en&um=1&sa=1&q=us+flag&aq=f&oq=&aqi=g10&st

art=0• http://images.google.com/images?gbv=2&hl=en&sa=1&q=Jennison+Heaton+&aq=f&oq=&aqi=&s

tart=0• http://c.photoshelter.com/img-get/I0000LYQM8TldXbM/t/150• http://img.freebase.com/api/trans/image_thumb/guid/9202a8c04000641f800000000c81150d?erro

rid=%2Ffreebase%2Fno_image_png&maxheight=200&mode=fit&maxwidth=150• http://www.apsc.ubc.ca/images/spotlight/pain-spotlight-slide1.jpg• http://www.workandwellness.com/media/parsley_leaann.jpg• http://i.telegraph.co.uk/telegraph/multimedia/archive/00749/sport-graphics-2002_749870a.jpg• http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41342000/jpg/_41342148_silver416.jpg• http://news.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41346000/jpg/_41346970_rudman_b_203.jpg