The Sled
A skeleton sled is made up of runners, a chassis, an aerodynamic glass-fiber cowling that covers that chassis, and the saddle, which holds the torso of the body in location on the top of that chassis, and bumpers, which serve as the slider’s protection.
As is the case with bobsled and luge, runners are the most important component of the sled, for the mere reason that they are the only part of the sled that is in contact with the ice. The amount of friction created by this interaction is the biggest factor in the performance of the sled. Runners must be made of a solid piece of steel. In 2004 the IBSF, in an effort to create parity, instituted a rule requiring runners to be made of standard material produced and stocked by an IBSF-designated factory. The material is provided in the form of round ground bars and the IBSF guarantees that all of pieces of steel are the same. Athletes and sled builders still have a choice of how to cut the runners, but even so, all runners are basically the same.
Picking the right runners for certain conditions is key. Some runners perform better in warm weather, some in cold weather. One set of runners might work best on the track in Igls, Austria, but be almost worthless on the Olympic track in Whistler. The choice of runners can often determine the outcome of the race.
The other critical part of a sled is aerodynamics. The most important thing to realize here is that, unlike bobsled, a skeleton athlete’s body is exposed during a run, so the aerodynamic properties of his or her body are just as important as that of the sled itself.
Skeleton sleds have no steering mechanism and the athlete controls it mainly by moving his weight around on the sled.
The IBSF Specifications
These are the specifications set forth by the IBSF – the international governing body of bobsled and skeleton – for sleds in international competition.
Men’s
Maximum weight of sled and driver, including equipment: 115 kg (253.5 lbs)
Maximum weight of sled alone: 43 kg (94.8 lbs)
Sled length: 800 to 1200 mm (2 feet, 7.5 inches – 3 feet, 11.24 inches)
Sled height: 80 to 200 mm (3.1 inches – 7.9 inches)
Women’s
Maximum weight of sled and driver, including equipment: 92 kg (202.8 lbs)
Maximum weight of sled alone: 35 kg (77.2 lbs)
Sled length: 800 to 1200 mm (2 feet, 7.5 inches – 3 feet, 11.24 inches)
Sled height: 80 to 200 mm (3.1 inches – 7.9 inches)
Ballast may be added to the sled until it reaches the maximum weight but the ballast cannot be attached to the driver’s body.
The same sled must be used in the all the heats of the competition. If a damaged skeleton can not be repaired in time for a heat, the use of a spare skeleton may by permitted by the competition jury.
Runners
The runners must be made of a solid piece of steel and no plating or coating is allowed.
It is not permitted to warm up the runner, or use any substance that improves sliding.
At the start of the race, the temperature of the runners must be within four degrees Celsius of the reference runner, which is exposed to the open air for one hour before the start of the competition. Warm runners are not allowed because the heat would decrease the friction between the runners and ice, making the sled faster.
Prior to the race if teams wish to wipe their runners to remove impurities, they must use an official cleaning solution that all teams share.
Steering mechanism
Devices to assist steering or breaking are prohibited.
Helmets
All competitors must wear helmets.
Shoes
Each competitor’s shoe may have spikes. The spikes may not be longer than 5 mm (about .2 inches) and the diameter of each spike may not exceed 1.5mm (.06 inches). Each shoe must have a minimum of 250 spikes.