Written by: Theophile, Reporter in ISFM
Introduction
Bobsled is a winter sport that is practiced by a bobsled. A bobsled is a type of sled that has brakes and a steering wheel. The point of this sport is to have a better time than the other competitors. The bobsled has a crew of 4 people: the driver, the brakeman and 2 pushers. You start at the beginning of the race track then a counter ticks and once the race begins the two people in the back push and the bobsled slides on the ice track.
History
This sport was created in St Moritz, Switzerland. It was created by Caspar Badrutt who asked 4 wealthy English men to start practicing bobsled that all approved. They started practicing using a toboggan*. It got banned by the mayor because they went into collisions with pedestrians. Then Caspar Badrutt, owner of the lodge, where the bobsled players housed during the winter, decided to spend money on a private bobsled lane. To make sure this wouldn’t happen again, they decided to add a steering wheel to their bobsled. By steering, the sleds could go on longer runs through the town. The first Bobsled was made in 1897. Over time, the runs became more twisty and curved, and the original sled made out of wood, evolved in metal. The 4 men bobsled was introduced in the 1924 Olympics and the 2 men in 1932.
Conclusion
I think that bobsled is a fun sport because it is competitive and because you have a crew to do it with.
*a toboggan is a simple sled used in snowy winter recreation.
Written by: Theophile, Reporter in ISFM
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