Some winter sports disciplines may look similar but there are still many differences between them. How well do you know the disciplines that will be represented at the Winter Olympics?

At first glance, you may not think that there are many differences between beans, sleds, and skeletons. In each discipline, athletes race down a narrow ice track at extreme speeds where their courage leaves the audience breathless.

However, these three disciplines have significant differences that make each competition unique and exciting.

We reveal to you the main differences between sledding, skeletons and beans.

While these ice sports (sledding, skeleton and bobsled) will take place on the same 1615-meter track at the Yanqing National Skating Center, don’t be fooled into thinking that the spectacle of each competition will be the same.

LUGE:

For a start, athletes start the race in a sitting position, pulling hard with their hands, and then a short part of the track can be pushed off the ice. After that, they take a lying position, while their legs are stretched forward. Using their body, they shift the weight and thus navigate the sled trying to lose as little time as possible in the bends. The sleds move at an average speed between 120 and 145 km / h. Our Mirza Nikolajev will be the first bh. luger after twenty years at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. competitor in the discipline of men's singles - luge.

SKELETON:

Unlike luge, athletes who compete in the skeleton start the race in a standing position, from which they start running and for the next 40 meters have the opportunity to reach as high a speed as possible before settling down in the bent position provided for this discipline. The speed at which they continue to move on the track reaches up to 130 km / h

BOB:

Since 1924, the bob discipline has been included in the regular program of the Winter Olympic Games and has the longest tradition. The athletes descend down the track in a sitting position, after making a run for the previous 50 meters. In this discipline, athletes use ropes inside sleds. An athlete in the back can also use ropes to slow down the descent, although this is very rarely used at the Olympics, as everyone is doing their best to reach the finish line as quickly as possible. Bob is a team sport, and otherwise there are two or four competitors in the team. At the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, a monobob will appear for the first time for female competitors, who will compete as individuals.

https://olympics.com/en/news/what-are-the-differences-between-luge-skeleton-and-bobsleigh