Bobsleigh, luge and skeleton: From alpine traditions to specialist strategies pushed by a skater. The sleighs (or troikas) Like skiing and ice-skating, the bobsleigh, were also very popular in Europe around luge and skeleton, or more generally, the bob- 1600. Harnessed to an animal (horse or rein- sleigh, can be traced back to utilitarian uses of deer), they were high-class luxury objects, locomotion. The first sleighs were made by replete with many decorations and most com- man prior to the invention of the wheel to monly reserved for the wealthy classes. enable the transport of heavy loads, and not only in snowy regions. The Egyptians also used this procedure, without skates, to enable the movement of stone blocks for the building of pyramids. In the Middle Ages the luge was frequently used recreationally. Nevertheless, at the end of the 19th century, the sports of machines began to really develop, thanks mainly to the existence of winter sports resorts. The British were predominantly at the root of this movement, and then the alpine countries took over the continued development of these sports. Introduction and use of sleighs The first sleighs: a utilitarian vocation In prehistoric times, apparently the first Scandinavian machines were developed from a hull of boat adapted to firm ground. The “pulken” of the Lapps, which are pulled by a reindeer and outfitted with one single skate bear a striking resemblance to this device. Different types of sleighs were used through- out Europe, but it seemed difficult to place the exact origins. In 800 AD, the sagas mentioned the use of luges by the Vikings in the area of A sledder at the beginning of the XXth Century Oslo. In Western Europe and particularly in the Vosges mountains, the “schlittes” (from The use of the luge for amusement continued the German “schlitten”, or sleigh) with two into modern times, particularly in large cities. skates were used by the loggers to transport It was even found in the small artificial snow wood or hay on hilly regions, in winter as well and ice hills, in St. Petersburg at the end of as in summer. As an aside, this type of sleigh the 18th century and even in Berlin in the park is still used today, particularly in the region of of the Bellevue Palace in 1844. Madeira. In the beginnings the sport of luge was prac- ticed in a raised area of the plains and on hills, The Luge: a new type of amusement and then it quickly became popular in moun- The luge did not always have a strictly utili- tainous regions, mainly in the areas of the tarian vocation. In the Middle Ages, it was Germanic peoples (Eastern Alps, Bohemia, commonly used as for fun. The city archives Saxony,…). Eventually, the luge would become all continually mention strict regulation in a fixture in those regions and develop into a their use, particularly in the form of tourna- type of bobsleigh event. ments. A figurine of bone representing a In North America, the wheel was unknown toboggan (undoubtedly a toy for children) was before the European conquest. The Indians found in the 16th century. Numerous texts and the Eskimos used a sleigh called "odoba- and stories tell of the pleasures of sledding in gan" (or "otobanask") year-round which rest- Norway (1480) and in Central Europe (Hans ed on one single very large skate, mainly for Sachs in 1520), particularly in the Ore utilitarian purposes but also for sport. Adapted Mountains (Conrad Schwartz in 1552). In the by the European colonists, it gave birth to the Netherlands, the luge was used on ice and toboggan, a sporty type of North American 1 Bobsleigh, luge and skeleton: From alpine traditions to specialist strategies luge. In the second part of the 10th century, luge, which they borrowed from the villagers this practice became very popular among the for their own amusement. Little by little, the population, particularly in Canada, and pistes became marked by luge tracks, in par- numerous artificial toboggan runs were con- ticular on snowy roads, and a few competi- structed. The Montreal Toboggan Club was tions were organized. John Adington created in 1870, and competitions were Sysmonds, a British who had been sent to organised in the nearby foothills. The pistes Davos by his doctor for health reasons, took were first laid out in fresh snow, and then great pleasure in this activity. In 1883 he sprayed with water that would freeze founded the Davos Toboggan Club and in the overnight. This practice would also catch on in same year organised the first international the USA, and such a piste was constructed luge competition. This event took place on a sometime later in New Jersey by the Country 3.2km run between Davos and the village of Essex Toboggan Club. Klosters and included 21 competitors from seven different nations (Germany, Australia, The beginnings of bobsleigh sports the USA, Great Britain, the Netherlands, Sweden and Switzerland). Following the suc- The first steps: a sport initiated by the British cess of this first competition, the “Sysmonds in the winter sports resorts Cup” was created in 1885 (as well as the As with the development of the winter sports “Freeman’s Trophy” sometime later for resorts in the second half of the 19th century, women). the British were the first to develop the bob- Due to the success and popularity of these sleigh sports. Around 1850, the luge was used competitions, in particular with the winter in Switzerland for transport and for children’s sports enthusiasts, St. Moritz, the main winter amusement, but not yet as a sport. The resort to rival Davos, would react and develop tourists (predominantly British) were coming bobsleigh events in its own fashion. During to the winter resorts in increasing numbers for the winter of 1884/1885, a group of British their health (sun, pure air and the revitalizing undertook the construction of an artificial piste nature of the mountains). Certain tourists known as the Cresta Run. The ice was natural thus practiced sports activities, including the and renewed each year (the installation is still allemagne empire FRANCE austro-hongrois Davos Suisse Chamonix Saint-Moritz italie luge piste bobsleigh piste bobsleigh and luge piste © CIO / dpt cno - cerso 2002 The major bobsleigh and luge pistes at the beginning of the XXth Century 2 Bobsleigh, luge and skeleton: From alpine traditions to specialist strategies in operation today). The first competition was held in 1885 and the St.Moritz Tobogganing Club was founded two years later. That same year (1887), an important event took place that would significantly affect the future of this piste, in particular the overall practice of bobsleigh sports. Competitors taking part in a skeleton competition- at the Cresta Run in 1928 (CIO, Collections du Musée Olympique) to steer. It was practiced uniquely on the piste of the Cresta Run (it’s the kind of skeleton which was on the programme of the 1928 and 1948 Winter Olympics at St.Moritz). Women The Cresta Run at Saint-Moritz in 1928 practiced this sport right from the onset. One (CIO, Collections du Musée Olympique) woman, Ursula Wheble, even went on to win Bobsleigh and Skeleton: A North American the women’s competition nine times, the first Tradition three in seated position and the six others Indeed, the toboggan, of Amerindian origins, head-first (in 1911, she completed the run in was introduced in Switzerland by and 61 seconds, the first-place male competitor American, L.P. Child. This type of luge was a completed the run in 59.6 seconds that same direct outcrop of the skeleton: skates of steel, year). which added weight and increased speed, The bobsleigh would arrive at the same period replaced the skates of wood: the skeleton was in time, having been imported by American practiced more and more on ice whereas the tourist Mr. Stephen Withney in Davos during luge became more appropriate on snow. The the winter of 1888/1889.This type of sleigh toboggan would very quickly find its way to had already existed for a long time in the the two main Swiss ski resorts and demon- United States (it was mentioned in 1839 at strate its superiority over the local luge. At Albany, capital of New York State); it had been Davos, the “Sysmonds Cup” would be won as used for goods transport, in particular wood. early as 1888 (and the subsequent two years) It was made up of two toboggans (or two by a competitor equipped with this new skeletons) held together with bars. The first “machine”. In order to prevent such domina- brake system consisted of a gardener’s rake tion, the two types of luge are separated, a and the steering was done with cords. new cup having been created especially for Innovations would soon afford this device the skeleton, the “Sysmons Shield” (and the increased popularity. A steel model was intro- “Ladies Bowl” for women). At St. Moritz, Mr. duced in 1889. In 1903, Mr. Roessinger, from Cornish had the idea to descend the piste of Leysin added a steering wheel and a new foot- the Cresta Run headfirst in the “Grand controlled braking system which would help National” competition of 1887. Despite the dif- guide the bobsleigh. Numerous other inven- ficulties that he encountered, his technique tors would take their turn improving the func- was adopted and became the standard from tionality of the bobsleigh over the years, 1890 onwards (there had been no precise resulting in a sort of “Formula One” on ice. rules, each competitor could go down the runs, regardless of technique or equipment The development of the bobsleigh used): the Cresta Skeleton was born.