Olympics "Skeleton"???

[Jinx]

Did I hear correctly that there is some ice sport called "Skeleton"? I swore they said it was one of the ice [track] sports like luge and bobsled. But, what is it? I cannot recall ever hearing of it prior to this Winter Olympics. Can someone explain?

[Tapioca Dextrin]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skeleton_%28sport%29

[Omniscient]

Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skeleton_%28sport%29) is your friend.

It's basically the Luge head first instead of feet first.

[runner pat]

Same as the luge but you go headfirst.:eek::eek::eek:

[Jinx]

When did they start this? Is it relatively new?

[Tapioca Dextrin]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skeleton_%28sport%29

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skeleton_%28sport%29

[Omniscient]

When did they start this? Is it relatively new?

Point Mouse Here, Click Left Button. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skeleton_%28sport%29)

[pulykamell]

When did they start this? Is it relatively new?

It became an official sport again in 2002. So this is the third olympics since 1948. Fifth olympics overall. So, it's "relatively new," depending on your definition of "relative."

[statsman1982]

Also from Wikipedia, the first year it was recognized as an Olympic sport by the IOC was 1926.

[pulykamell]

I remember it getting quite a bit of hype in 2002, what with it being head-first luge and all. Pretty sexy in that "extreme sport" sort of way. If you follow the Winter Olympics at all, it's not something you'd miss, I'd think.

[Bijou Drains]

The other difference is Luge is done on your back, Skeleton is on your stomach.

[RedFury]

The other difference is Luge is done on your back, Skeleton is on your stomach.

Flip those positions around and then we'd be talking real excitement!

[Malacandra]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skeleton_%28sport%29

I think you mean http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skeleton_%28sport%29, don't you? :p

[Smeghead]

I'm amazed there's no wikipedia entry with all this information.

[DSYoungEsq]

Jinx has been ignoring Wikipedia for most of the 10+ years he's been a member here. :p

I agree with RedFury about which way each should be run. Take skeleton's head-first position, put you on your back to do it, and THEN let's talk about excitement!!!!

[Munch]

I can't wait for when they do it in a hamster ball.

[DSYoungEsq]

I can't wait for when they do it in a hamster ball.

Like the scene out of the Pirates of the Caribbean movie? :p

[Death of Rats]

I agree with RedFury about which way each should be run. Take skeleton's head-first position, put you on your back to do it, and THEN let's talk about excitement!!!!

I did something similar once as a kid on accident. It would take more than a hunk of gold and a Wheaties endorsment to do it again. :eek:

[TV time]

The other difference is Luge is done on your back, Skeleton is on your stomach.At the porn Olympics I understand they do a combined form of the two both coed and same sex.

[YogSosoth]

Asked this in another thread but no answer: Is the Skeleton done on the same track as luge and bobsled? Are starts at different places? Because if luge killed a guy on his back, then I can see a lot of necks broken doing it head first

[kenobi 65]

Asked this in another thread but no answer: Is the Skeleton done on the same track as luge and bobsled? Are starts at different places? Because if luge killed a guy on his back, then I can see a lot of necks broken doing it head first

Same track for all three sports, yes. I'm not sure if they start at the same place.

The luger who died had flown off the track after a spill, and hit a steel pole outside of the track (which, amazingly, had not been covered or padded). There is a lot of talk about just how fast the Vancouver sliding track is in general.

[mnemosyne]

At the porn Olympics I understand they do a combined form of the two both coed and same sex.

They are halfway there with the two man luge! It does kind of look...awkward.

[Tapioca Dextrin]

I understand that the four man bob is also popular. Doesn't even need a track.

[kenobi 65]

They are halfway there with the two man luge! It does kind of look...awkward.

I was watching the two-man luge last night (or maybe it was the night before). I'd like to understand the role of the "rear" rider. It seems that, other than helping push off at the beginning, all he can do is add mass. It doesn't look like he can see at all during the run.

Then again, that's pretty much all the second and third team members in 4-man bobsled are doing...

[garygnu]

Same track for all three sports, yes. I'm not sure if they start at the same place.
...
The Skeleton and Bobsled both start at the top, where the men's Luge also started before the death. Skeleton and Bobsled both require a running start, and there isn't a place lower down to accommodate one.

[kayaker]

Meh. Put them on silver saucers like we used as kids and see how many serious injuries accrue. ;)

[Mean Mr. Mustard]

What is this 'Wikipedia' thing? Something new?

Anyone got a link?

[Philster]

Jinx has been ignoring Wikipedia for most of the 10+ years he's been a member here. :p

!


And Google! :D

[YogSosoth]

The Skeleton and Bobsled both start at the top, where the men's Luge also started before the death. Skeleton and Bobsled both require a running start, and there isn't a place lower down to accommodate one.

Face first 90mph down an ice track. No thanks! :eek::eek::eek:

[Cliffy]

No, no, don't worry. Skeleton sleds are heavier, so they top out at nearly five kph lower than luge. Walk in the park.

As noted, they have not only added padding to where the pole that killed the luger, they also softened that bank and added a raised wall so anyone flipping off their sled at the same place would stay inside the course instead of flying over the wall.

--Cliffy

[ministryman]

I'm amazed there's no wikipedia entry with all this information.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skeleton_%28sport%29 :smack:

[Munch]

ministryman, do you know if there's a wikipedia reference for the internet phenomenon known as a "whoosh"?

[bup]

I don't think so, but it is in the urban dictionary (http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=woosh).

[amanset]

Well now that the UK has won a gold without even having a track in the entire country to practice on, this has now become the best and most important sport ever.

[Kiber]

I was watching the two-man luge last night (or maybe it was the night before). I'd like to understand the role of the "rear" rider. It seems that, other than helping push off at the beginning, all he can do is add mass. It doesn't look like he can see at all during the run.

Then again, that's pretty much all the second and third team members in 4-man bobsled are doing...

I used to train in both singles and doubles at the Olympic Training Center. For all luge (singles and doubles), steering is a combination of applying pressure with shoulders and legs. If you want to steer to the right, you push in with your left leg and down with your right shoulder. This twists the entire sled and allows for steering. Obviously, steering to the left is the opposite. This is a very simplified description - but gets the point across.

On a doubles sled, it's difficult for a single rider to do both. So basically, the bottom rider steers with his shoulders, while the top rider steers with his feet. The combination is what makes the sled turn effectively. Also - "just adding mass" means adding a LOT of speed. Doubles sleds go much faster than singles.

Finally - you are right that the bottom rider can't see very much. However - the key to being good at luge is to look as little as possible. Sliders spend a lot of time memorizing the track - and the best will only take very quick glances to confirm where they are on the track. So while it's true that the bottom rider on a doubles sled can't see much - it doesn't make much difference, since they shouldn't be lifting their head up to look anyway.