These Skeleton Helmets Are The Coolest Thing About Sochi So Far

Michael Kelley, Pamela Engel

Skeleton involves a person riding a small sled down a frozen track while lying face down (video below).

The sport is a more intense form of luge because skeleton competitors leap onto the sled and slide downhill head first.

Skeleton athletes can reach up to 80 mph on straightaways, causing forces up to 5g, so the helmet is a critical component for attitude as well as safety.

Here’s a look at some of the riders at the Sochi Olympics:

Luge skeletonREUTERS/Murad SezerIreland’s Sean Greenwood speeds down during an unofficial men’s skeleton progressive training at the Sanki sliding center in Rosa Khutor, a venue for the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics near Sochi, February 5, 2014.
Skeleton luge helmetsREUTERS/Murad SezerCanada’s Sarah Reid speeds down the track during an unofficial women skeleton progressive training at the Sanki sliding center in Rosa Khutor, a venue for the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics near Sochi, February 5, 2014.
Skeleton luge helmetsREUTERS/Murad SezerWhen metal sleds were first produced on a large scale in 1892, the frames resembled a human skeleton, hence the etymology of the sport.
Skeleton luge helmetsREUTERS/Murad SezerKatie Uhlaender of the U.S. starts an unofficial women skeleton progressive training at the Sanki sliding center in Rosa Khutor, a venue for the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics near Sochi, February 5, 2014.
Skeleton luge helmetsREUTERS/Murad SezerSkeleton made only two appearances at the Olympics in the 20th century, 1928 and 1948.
Skeleton luge helmetsREUTERS/Murad SezerCanada’s John Fairbairn speeds down during an unofficial men’s skeleton progressive training at the Sanki sliding center in Rosa Khutor, a venue for the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics near Sochi, February 5, 2014.
Skeleton luge helmetsREUTERS/Murad SezerIt was not until the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City that skeleton was reintroduced to the Games for good.
Luge skeletonREUTERS/Murad SezerCanada’s Eric Neilson speeds down during an unofficial men’s skeleton progressive training at the Sanki sliding center in Rosa Khutor, a venue for the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics near Sochi, February 5, 2014.

Skeleton at Sochi is February 13 and 14. The gold medal favourites are Elizabeth Yarnold of Britain and Martins Dukurs of Latvia.

Here’s a video of showing the 2013 Veissmann Luge World Cup held in Park City, UT, where there Americans earned spots to the Olympic team.

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