Women's Bobsled Olympic Preview
Posted 6/22/2009
When it comes to sports at the Winter Olympics, few are as exhilarating to watch as the women's bobsled.
It was first invented by Englishmen back in the 1860's, although the sleds used back then are very much different than those used by competitors in today's times.
Bobsleighs actually used to consist of as many as five or six people but have since been narrowed down to either two or four person teams as technology has changed.
The women's bobsleigh event didn't make its way into Olympic competition until the 2002 Winter Games in Torino, Italy.
The races begin at the top of the track, where competitors push the sled down as far as 50 meters before jumping onboard for their run down the icy course.
Once on the bobsled, competitors must navigate their way down the slippery track as quickly as possible. Any slight bumps into the side walls can be the difference between victory and defeat.
There is literally no room for error, so competitors must be virtually perfect from the pushing of the sled at the start to the steering of it throughout the course and through the finish line.
The team that finishes with the fastest time is declared the winner. It should come as no surprise that the Canadiens and Europeans typically fare very well in this event.
It may not be the most popular sport at the Olympic games, particularly among Americans, but it's definitely worth going to check out if you get the opportunity.