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The History Of Bobsledding
The sled, created centuries ago, has mainly been a mode of transportation.
The actual sport of racing with bobsleds wasn't initiated until the late 19th century,
when a steering mechanism was added to the inside of the tobbogan.
Bobsledding started in Albany, N.Y. in 1897 and then the idea quickly streamed through
Switzerland, which started the growth of the sport in winter resorts throughout Europe. By
the year of 1914, races were happening on different natural ice courses.
The first sleds were completely constructed with wood, until they were replaced with steel
sleds that gained the title "the bobsled." This title had to do with the way
crews bobbed back and forth to make the sled go faster on straightaways.
In 1923, the Federation Internationale de Bobsleigh et de Tobogganing (FIBT) was created
and the next year a quartet participated in the first Winter Olympics in Chamoix, France.
Then, at the 1932 Olympics, a two-man even was added in Laked Placid, N.Y.
Racing bobsled began as a past time for the wealthy and outgoing who would gather at the
alpine resorts for weekends in which there would be racing and partying.
About 20 years later, however, the modern sport of bobsledding began to form. Atheletes in
other sports were drawn to bobsledding. Sportsmen from all different fields, such as Track
and field, handball, and gymnastics delivered a hard push at the start to get the
figurative "Bobsledding Ball" rolling.
1952 brought a critical rule change, limiting the total weight of crew and sled. This
ended the era of the Extreme Heavyweight bobsledders.
More athletic teams kept up with the changes in sleds and tracks. Now, the world's top
teams train for the whole year and usually compete on artificial ice tracks in swift
modern sleds, made of fiberglass and steel.
Before the World Cup was created, in the mid-1980's, the success of a bobsled team was
entirely determined by performance at the Olympics, World and European Championships. But,
with the advent of the World Cup, consistency, versatility, and endurance are now also
rewarded.
From 1928 to 1956, the U.S. had a a massive influence on the sport of bobsledding, but in
recent years the sport has been dominated by European nations, especially Switzerland and
Germany. The Swiss have won more medals in Olympic, World and European championships and
World Cup competitions than any other nation. Germany became a major player in the
mid-1970's by placing a great emphasis on sled design and construction. And, since
reunification, Germany has continued to be successful. Canada, Italy and Austria have also
been strong in the past.
Despite the fact that bobsledding is a sport that requires ice and that it originated in
Albany, it has spread to the rest of the world. Its popularity has spread to nations like
Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and, of course, Jamaica. With the inclusion of new teams,
the wealth is starting to get spread around. At the 1995 World Championships, eight
different nations placed in the top ten for the four-man bobsled.
The 1990's also got to see the appearence of some female bobsledders in Europe and North
America.
With new artificial tracks coming on stream for the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan
and the 2002 Games in Salt Lake City, Utah, the sport of bobsled can draw on a rich
history as it charts the course to a promising future.
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