The Winter Olympics: Skeleton

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Skeleton is a cousin of luge. It is a very fast sport that propels athletes on luge-like sleds down ice tubes. Unlike luge, however, skeleton athletes go down head-first. The sport gets is name from its frame, which is a stripped-down version of a luge sled, like a skeleton is just the bones of a body.

Skeleton is the oldest known sledding sport, but it has not always been part of the Winter Olympics. It was part of the program in 1928 in St. Moritz, Switzerland, and then discontinued. It was again part of the program in 1948 (again in St. Moritz) and again discontinued. It returned in 2002 at Salt Lake City, Utah, and is still an Olympic sport today.

Skeleton Where: Cesana Pariol When: February 16–17

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