The History

Bobsleigh was invented by a group of Englishmen on holiday in Switzerland in 1890. Their aim was to create a sled that could carry two or more people down a snow covered road between St Moritz and Celerina. The new sport immediately caught on and a special track, complete with banked curves, made of ice, was constructed next to the road in 1902. The first races were for 5 and 6 people and a requirement of the competition was that each crew included at least one woman. This requirement was dropped in the 1930s and the disciplines altered to 2 and 4 man events.

The Sport Today

Bobsleigh has evolved over the years into a dramatically exciting and demanding sport. Competitions are run down ice tracks that are at least 1500m long and with at least 15 banked curves. Speeds of over 90 mph are reached. The bobsleighs themselves are extremely expensive high technology machines made from steel, aluminium and composites. The bobsleigher of today is a highly trained athlete and a good start at the beginning of the run (lauf) is vital. It is the pilots responsibility to steer the bobsleighs down the track in the most time efficient way possible. Bobsleigh is a team sport and teamwork is the essential ingredient in order to create the perfect harmony necessary to complete a successfully course from start to finish.

British Bobsleigh

The British Bobsleigh Association was formed in 1927 in New York as the UK Governing Body for the sport. Within UK we have close links with the Sports Council, the Foundation for Sport and the Arts and the British Olympic Association. The Federation International de Bobsleigh et Tobogganing (FIBT) controls the sports at all international events and they are based in Milan, Italy.
Bobsleigh is Britain's most successful winter team sport. Although we have yet to repeat the Gold medal achieved by Tony Nash and Robin Dixon in the 1964 Olympics, our best result of two teams in the top 10 in both 2 and 4 man events was achieved in the 1994 Olympics. Great Britain was 4th in the 1995 World Championships and European Silver medallists.
Women's bobsleigh has developed and is continuing to increase its level of support. Britain is leading the way to achieving the goal of equality for female bobsleighers in the international arena. British women bobsleighers were silver medallists in 1995.

The Bobsleigh Season

National Events

• Ice Push Competition

  National Push Competition

  Bobschool/Selection Race

  British Championships

International Events

• World Push Championship - Monaco

  6 World Cup 2 and 4 man competitions

  European Championships

  World Championships

Europa Cup

• 4 Europa Cup Competitions

  Junior World Championships

Further lnformation.

If you would like to find out more about the British Bobsleigh Association as an athlete, a potential sponsor or if you have a general inquiry about the sport please contact the British Bobsleigh Association office: 01985 850064 - Chestnuts, 85 High Street, Codford, Warminster, Wilts BA12 6ND.

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