What would entice someone to join a sport named the “Skeleton”? The name alone would cause me to re-think any thoughts I might have that entertain lying belly down on a small sled while enduring forces up to 5g’s as I rocket down a frozen track. The Skeleton, how did they come up with that name? Leaves a lot to the imagination. Could it have to do with the fact that the sleds used in Skeleton have no steering or braking devices? I think Curling would be a better sport for me!

Actually, the sport was named when someone commented that a new metal sled, first used in 1892, resembled a skeleton. The bare-bones design provided a compact sled with metal runners, and the design caught on quickly.

How does one play Skeleton? To start, a skeleton slider grasps the handles on either side of the sled, runs as fast as possible for approximately 55 yards then dives head first onto the sled and speeds down the Labyrinth. Sliders lie on their stomachs and steer by shifting their bodies very slightly and dragging their feet. Wow, how does that sound for fun?

Of course, the equipment the sliders use plays an extremely important role in the sport. Not only is the apparatus of the sled critical, the suit and helmet are paramount in shaving hundredths of a second off the final time. It has been determined that different helmet styles work better for different sliders, which means it is important that each slider find the helmet best suited to the way they ride the sled. It seems that our 2010 Olympians have taken great pride in their helmets this year. There are some very unique and and creative helmets out there. You had better watch closely to see the decorations, as they are traveling at speeds of up to 77 miles per hour down the track!  Check these out!

Lindsey Vonn

Lindsey Vonn holds the record — among both men and women — for the longest jump off of Whistler, B.C.’s normal ski jump, built for the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. She is the first American woman to win back-to-back overall World Cup championships, doing so in 2008 and 2009. She has also won World Cup discipline championships in downhill (also back-to-back) and Super G (the first American woman to do so). With 31 World Cup wins in four disciplines (downhill, Super G, slalom and super combined) and two World Championship gold medals, along with two World Championship silver medals, she has become the most successful American woman skier in World Cup history.

Regrettably, the  women’s ski jumping world champion will be nowhere in sight when the competition begins in the 2010 winter Olympics.  Lindsey trains six days a week, 11 months a year and has been jumping for the past 19 years, but she won’t be competing. What a travesty!

Why you ask? Because Olympic ski jumping has no place for women – they aren’t allowed to compete. But, it’s not for lack of trying. Women ski jumpers have petitioned to join every Winter Olympics since Nagano in 1998, and each time they have been denied by the International Olympics Committee (IOC). In fact, ski jumping is the only Olympic discipline to remain men-only. (Technically, Nordic combined is also limited to males, but that’s because it includes ski jumping.)  Women are now recognized and included in the summer Olympic’s boxing. Why boxing, but not ski jumping?

According to NPR, Lindsey is quoted as saying, “[It's] just pretty painful to watch [men] I grew up training with be able to have that opportunity and me sit there knowing that I don’t even have that opportunity because I’m not a male,” says Vonn, of Park City, Utah, who has been ski jumping since she was 7. “It’s depressing to tell young girls that you don’t have the same opportunities just because they’re girls.”

The great news is that we get to watch Lindsey compete in other sports this Olympics, such as women’s downhill, slalom, giant slalom, super-G and women’s super-combined. One day I hope to see Lindsey flying off the mountain in the women’s ski jump competition!