Bobsleigh Science

All Bobsleigh sports exist due to two factors:

1) low friction properties of ice & snow
2) gravity

A sled travelling down a bobsleigh chute starts with a known amount of kinetic energy (from the push start phase) and potential energy form the height differential between the top and the bottom of the top. During the descent, some of this energy is lost into the ice (ice friction), from aerodynamic resistive forces (drag) and from collisions with the track walls resulting form poor equipment handling.

Equipment design influence the amount of energy lost during a run. The more effective the equipment, the lower the energy lost down a track, which means more energy is left to convert into speed.

The skill of the athlete can mean further savings can be made during the run.

A 5% change in aerodynamic efficiency for example can mean the difference between gold medal and obscurity.

Winter sports offer the perfect platform for highlighting the large effects that energy efficiency has.

Innovation in materials, manufacturing, analysis tools and knowledge is driving a new generation in thinking and equipment design.

Sport technology has come of age!