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Skeleton

Skeleton is an ice-track sport where athletes sprint-start and ride head-first, face-down on a skeleton sled. Start power, aerodynamics, line choice, small body inputs and IBSF rules determine the time.

LevelMain sport FamilyWinter Sport CategoryWinter sport

AI-generated illustration: Skeleton — AI-generated illustration

Classification

Category Winter sport

Family Winter Sport

Level Main sport

Getting started

Kurzbeschreibung Head-first ice-track racing on a small skeleton sled.

Geeignet für Suitable for people with access to track, coach and high speed tolerance.

Cost Realistic only through tryout, federation or track programme; no DIY track. Sled, helmet, spikes, track time, coach, travel, federation pathway and development programme. IBSF/national bobsleigh and skeleton body, ice track or talent ID. Skeleton sledding is an alias of skeleton.

First progress First tryout can be quick; controlled lines need many track runs.

Fitness level high

Was du brauchst

skeleton sled
helmet
spikes
protection
ice track
coach

First steps

find federation/track
book tryout
practise push start dry
learn position
ride from lower start

IBSF member federation, national bobsleigh/skeleton body, Olympic track or talent ID.

Ride only on approved ice track with coach, protection, track briefing and progressive start point.

Weitere Angaben

Aliases Skeleton Sledding

Tags individual, ice, skeleton, winter-sport, wintersport, skeleton-sledding

Rules and format

Die Grundlagen

Ziel

Complete the ice-track runs legally with the lowest aggregate time.

Teilnehmer

individual athletes.

Teamgröße

one pilot per sled.

Spielfeld

bobsleigh/skeleton ice track.

Dauer

Depends on format and event.

Wertung

aggregate time and valid runs.

Gewinnbedingung

Best valid time, placing or score in the announced format.

Ausrüstung

skeleton sled
helmet
spikes
ice track

Wichtige Regelpunkte

equipment breach
start/run breach
track rule breach
unsporting conduct

Regelquellen

Federations and sources

Federations

IBSF
International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation (IBSF)

International Skeleton Rules 2025 IBSF · official-rulebook · high
Downloads and Resources IBSF · official-rulebook-index · high
Skeleton 101: Competition format NBC Olympics · viewer-guide · medium
A Beginner's Guide to Trying Skeleton Akwasi Frimpong · athlete-beginner-guide · medium