BOBSLEDDING PASSION!

(Illustrations Courtesy of HowStufWorks)
-

Spend any amount of time studying the dynamics of Bobsledding and one undeniable reality emerges; this isn't a game. It is a serious sport and the competition is intense. But it is also very dangerous. To mitigate the risks, team members are immersed year-round in training to become "one" with the bobsled (we Americans call it a "sled" versus the more internationally recognized term, "sleigh"). This is true of race car driving and even flying an aircraft, where the driver or pilot develops an innate sense of the vehicle as an extension of him or herself. Having flown aircraft and driven sports cars on limited controlled courses, I can attest to this simple concept as helpful in understanding the limits of both vehicles, but also what potential is possible as well. One develops a "feel" for the situation (whether car, plane or sled). In this wonderful illustration above, the carefully planned entry into the bobsled by both the 4-man and 2-man crews require every bit of precision and coordination that the driver shoulders for the duration of the run. The Push Bars are retracted and an aerodynamic crouching posture takes immediate precedence.

We've all become familiar with "living in the moment", and that is certainly important. But for the driver of the bobsled, that maxim also involves finding and maintaining the "Perfect Line" on the track, where optimum performance is achieved. The following phenomenon is one I remember noticing as a kid watching the late television sports announcer Jim McKay (1921-2008) commenting about on ABC's "Wide World of Sports".

-

A turn taken too High will deliver speed, but at the sacrifice of increasing distance (and in certain instances, losing control of the sled). I've witnessed crashes. And in less severe instances, I've seen teams on a flawless run dramatically enter a banked turn High, then lose a promising position in a race. A turn taken too Low may shorten distance, but you wind up sacrificing speed. Physics is everything and gravity after the push-off is crucial throughout severe drops, twists and turns. Once the push-off stretch is completed and the crew enters the bob to assume their position, the driver has to utilize every ounce of skill and precision to maximize speed and distance (with the aid of gravity) to achieve the fastest performance. Crew members may shift their weight in conjunction with the requirements of any given run (on Skeleton and Bobsled tracks); worldwide there are 16 of which 14 have FIBT approval. I can recall Jim McKay mentioning repeatedly the scars in the ice from previous sleds, and this brings to mind pole positions owing to the order of team runs. In short order, scarred ice can slow down subsequent sleds although friction between the narrow metal runners and the ice itself is measurable if not de-mini mus. Slower times can result. Then there is the steering issue. Personally, I like the pulley-cable system over the old school steering yokes (just a personal observation). A driver can feel the sled better and react with more precision.

Consider the level of skill and precision required of the driver at a speed of 90 miles per hour with only a 3 inch tolerance Left or Right to maintain a "Perfect Line". This is serious business. The driver's concentration and instincts must be highly coordinated. Up until this point, a bob is designed, built, tested and balanced with very strict weight requirements "Empty". In certain instances, ballast may be used by a team to add crucial weight within tolerances with the "Crew Aboard", as a heavier sled is faster, albeit, harder to push. A friend of mine who is a professional athlete proof read this Blog and stated: "Man, with all of these factors to consider, that is intense!" I would agree. Just to compete is itself a major achievement, as far as I'm concerned. I've always loved talking about this sport, even when I received weird facial expressions from my friends who have had to endure me discussing it during the middle of summer! In the end, it's great excitement. even for this passionate Layman. Enough already. Let's wish our USA team "the thrill of victory"!