Skeleton (sport) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Skeleton

Amy Williams pushes off at the start, 2010
Highest governing body	International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation
First played	Late 19th century, Switzerland
Characteristics
Contact	No
Team members	1
Type	Winter sport, time trial
Venue	Skeleton tracks
Presence
Olympic	1928, 1948, 2002 to present

Skeleton is an exciting winter sport where a single person slides down a frozen track. Athletes ride a small sled, called a skeleton bobsled. They lie face down and head-first, making it a thrilling race against the clock.

The sport gets its name because the original sleds looked a bit like a ribcage. Skeleton is different from other sliding sports like bobsleigh and luge. In skeleton, only one person rides the sled at a time.

Like bobsleigh, skeleton races start with a running push from the top of the track. The skeleton sled is thinner and heavier than a luge sled. This design gives the rider more control. Skeleton is the slowest of the three sliding sports. This is because the head-first, face-down position is less aerodynamic than luge's feet-first, face-up ride.

Skeleton first appeared in the Olympic Games in St. Moritz, Switzerland, in 1928 and again in 1948. It became a permanent Olympic sport at the 2002 Winter Olympics. That year, a women's race was also added.

During top-level races, riders feel forces up to 5 times the force of gravity (5g). They can reach speeds over 130 kilometers per hour (about 80 miles per hour)!

How the Sport Began

Skeleton started in St. Moritz, Switzerland. It grew out of the sport of tobogganing, which was popular with British visitors. Skeleton sliders use equipment similar to Cresta Run riders. However, the two sports are different. Skeleton uses the same tracks as bobsleds and luge. These tracks are enclosed, so riders usually stay on them. The Cresta Run is more open, and riders can sometimes fall out.

Skeleton sleds are steered by moving the head and shoulders. Cresta toboggans do not have steering or braking parts. Cresta riders use special rakes on their boots to help steer and slow down.

The history of skeleton goes back to 1882. English soldiers built a toboggan track between Davos and Klosters in Switzerland. This track was special because it had curves and bends. This made it different from simpler tracks in other countries. People debate where the name "skeleton" came from. Some think it's because the early sleds looked like a skeleton. Others believe it came from a Norwegian word for toboggan, kjelke, that was mispronounced in English.

About 30 kilometers (18 miles) away, in St. Moritz, British men loved racing down the town's streets. This was dangerous for people walking. So, in 1884, Major William Bulpett helped build the Cresta Run. This was the first special toboggan track in St. Moritz. The track was about three-quarters of a mile long. It went from St. Moritz to Celerina and had ten turns. The Cresta Run was used for skeleton in the 1928 and 1948 in St. Moritz. These were the only times skeleton was in the Olympics before 2002.

In 1887, during a competition in St. Moritz, a Mr. Cornish started a new way to ride. He went down the track head-first. By 1890, this head-first position became the standard way to race.

Skeleton Grows Worldwide

For a long time, skeleton was mostly played in Switzerland. But in 1905, Austria held its first skeleton competition. This was in Mürzzuschlag. This event helped the sport spread to other countries. The Austrian championship was held the next year. More competitions took place in the Semmering Pass in 1908 and 1910. As skeleton became more popular, the sleds also changed. In 1892, an Englishman named L. P. Child created a simpler, more "bare-bones" metal sled.

In 1923, the Federation Internationale de Bobsleigh et de Tobogganing (FIBT) was formed. This group became the main organization for the sport. Two years later, in 1926, the International Olympic Committee made bobsleigh and skeleton Olympic sports. They adopted the rules from the St. Moritz track. Skeleton returned to the Olympic Winter Games in 2002 in Salt Lake City, Utah, US, after 54 years. In 2015, the FIBT changed its name to the International Bobsleigh & Skeleton Federation (IBSF).

Since the 2002 Olympics, skeleton has grown even more popular. Athletes from many countries now take part. This includes places like Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, and even the Virgin Islands. Some of these countries don't have their own tracks due to climate or cost. The IBSF helps these "emerging nations" with travel, coaching, and equipment.

Major Competitions

Lizzy Yarnold competing in the World Cup at Lake Placid in November 2017

The IBSF organizes several international skeleton competitions. These events help athletes earn points and improve their rankings. The main competitions are the World Cup, World Championships, Junior World Championships, and the Olympic Winter Games.

Athletes get points based on how well they do in races. These points help determine their rank. Countries get a certain number of spots in higher-level races based on their athletes' rankings. In a race, athletes start in a specific order. The track can get rougher with each run, so starting earlier is often better. In later heats, athletes start in reverse order of their current ranking. This makes the competition more exciting!

The World Cup

The World Cup is the highest level of international skeleton competition. It has strict rules for how many athletes each country can send. To qualify, a country must have had at least one athlete ranked high enough in the previous season. Athletes must also have safely completed several races on different tracks to be eligible.

At the end of each World Cup season, the top male and female athletes receive a special trophy. It is called the "Crystal Globe."

World Championships

Alessia Crippa at the 2021 IBSF World Championships in Altenberg

In years when there are no Olympic Games, a country hosts the World Championships. These championships are for both bobsleigh and skeleton. Athletes who meet certain experience rules can compete. All countries can send at least one athlete. The winner of the previous Junior World Championship also gets an automatic spot.

Unlike most other races, the World Championships last two days. Athletes complete four heats. Their total time from all four heats determines the winner. For example, the 2016/17 World Championships were held in Bavaria. Martins Dukurs of Latvia and Jacqueline Lölling of Germany won their events.

Junior World Championships

Men's Skeleton at the 2020 Winter Youth Olympics in Lausanne

The Junior World Championships happen every year. They are scheduled so they don't conflict with the Olympics or Senior World Championships. "Junior athletes" are those under 23 years old. Each country can send up to three athletes. These athletes must have finished at least three official competitions on two different tracks in the past two years.

The 2017–18 Junior World Championships took place in St. Moritz, Switzerland. Anna Fernstädt of Germany and Nikita Tregubov of Russia were the winners.

Skeleton at the Olympics

Yun Sung-bin

The skeleton event at the Winter Olympics also uses a two-day, four-heat format. This is similar to the World Championships. However, fewer athletes compete at the Olympics. The International Olympic Committee works with the IBSF to decide how many athletes each country can send. For example, at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, Korea, 20 women and 30 men competed. The host country, Korea, automatically received one spot for each gender.

Countries can send athletes who might not have earned the quota spot themselves. However, these athletes must still be ranked high enough on the IBSF list. They also need to meet similar experience requirements as for the World Cup.

All About the Sport

Skeleton is a sport that many people can try. Even amateurs have found success. For example, Nino Bibbia, a fruit seller from St. Moritz, won an Olympic gold medal in 1948. The first track with artificial ice was built in 1969 in Königssee/Berchtesgaden, Germany. This meant athletes could practice no matter the weather. Skeleton is also seen as a good way to train young athletes for bobsleigh.

The Skeleton Sled

Alessia Crippa 1st run at the 2021 World Championships in Altenberg

The sleds used in skeleton today have changed a lot over time. They were inspired by sleds used for transport in Canada and by Native Americans. In 1892, L. P. Child created a new metal sled called the "America." This simple design with metal runners quickly became popular. In 1902, Arden Bott added a sliding seat, but this feature is not used on modern sleds.

Today, the IBSF has rules about what sleds can be made of. The frame must be steel. Sleds cannot have steering or braking parts. The bottom plate can be made of plastic. Handles and bumpers on the sides help the athlete stay secure during the ride.

There are also rules for the size and weight of the sleds:

If an athlete and sled together weigh less than the maximum, extra weights can be added. These weights, called ballasts, can only be attached to the sled, not the rider.

• Sled Dimensions:
  • Length: 80 to 120 centimeters (about 31 to 47 inches)
  • Height: 8 to 20 centimeters (about 3 to 8 inches)
  • Distance between runners: 340 to 380 millimeters (about 13 to 15 inches)

What Athletes Wear

Skeleton athletes wear special gear to keep them safe and help them go fast:

• A racing helmet with a chin guard, or a helmet made just for skeleton.
• A tight-fitting racing suit made of special fabric.
• Spiked shoes, similar to those used in track and field.
• Goggles or a face shield to protect their eyes.
• They can also wear elbow and shoulder pads under their suits for extra protection.
• Of course, they also need their sled!

Organizations and Clubs

Many organizations help promote and manage the sport of skeleton around the world:

Olympic Medal Winners

Men

The 2026 Olympic champion in men's skeleton was:  Matt Weston (GBR)  Axel Jungk (GER)  Christopher Grotheer (GER)

Rank	Nation	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1	United States	2	2	1	5
2	Canada	2	1	0	3
3	Germany	1	2	1	4
4	Great Britain	1	0	3	4
5	Russia	1	0	1	2
6	Italy	1	0	0	1
	South Korea	1	0	0	1
8	Latvia	0	2	0	2
9	Olympic Athletes from Russia	0	1	1	2
10	Austria	0	1	0	1
11	China	0	0	1	1
	Switzerland	0	0	1	1
Totals (12 entries)		9	9	9	27

Women

The 2026 Olympic champion in women's skeleton was:  Janine Flock (AUT)  Susanne Kreher (GER)  Jacqueline Pfeifer (GER)

Rank	Nation	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1	Great Britain	3	1	2	6
2	Germany	1	3	2	6
3	United States	1	2	0	3
4	Austria	1	0	0	1
	Switzerland	1	0	0	1
6	Australia	0	1	0	1
7	Canada	0	0	1	1
	Netherlands	0	0	1	1
	Russia	0	0	1	1
Totals (9 entries)		7	7	7	21

Total Olympic Ranking (2026)

Rank	Nation	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1	Great Britain	4	1	5	10
2	United States	3	4	1	8
3	Germany	2	3	1	6
4	Canada	2	1	1	4
5	Russia	1	0	2	3
	Switzerland	1	0	2	3
7	Italy	1	0	0	1
	South Korea	1	0	0	1
9	Latvia	0	2	0	2
10	Australia	0	1	0	1
	Austria	0	1	0	1
	Olympic Athletes from Russia	0	1	0	1
13	China	0	0	1	1
	Netherlands	0	0	1	1
Totals (14 entries)		15	14	14	43

See also

In Spanish: Skeleton para niños

• FIBT World Championships
• List of Skeleton World Cup champions
• Bobsleigh
• Luge