Bobsled Rules, Scoring & Competition Format — A Complete Guide

The basics

Four runs over two days. The team with the lowest combined time across all runs wins. Margins are often hundredths of a second — a single run can be decided by 0.01s.

Steel, Ice, and Split Seconds: How Bobsled Rules Work at the Olympics

Four athletes hurl themselves into a fiberglass-and-steel sled and rocket down an ice track at over 150 km/h, pulling up to 5 Gs in the turns. That’s bobsled at the Winter Olympics — and the rules governing this spectacle, maintained by the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation (IBSF), are as precise as the engineering behind the sleds.

Olympic Events

The Olympic bobsled program currently includes four events:

  • Two-man bobsled (now officially called “monobob” for the single-athlete event and two-person for the pairs)
  • Monobob (Women’s) — introduced at Beijing 2022, featuring a single pilot in a standardized sled.
  • Two-woman bobsled — pilot and brakeman.
  • Four-man bobsled — the marquee event: a pilot, brakeman, and two pushers.

At Beijing 2022, Francesco Friedrich of Germany won both the two-man and four-man events, with his four-man crew posting a combined time of 3:54.30 across four runs.

How Races Work

A bobsled race consists of multiple heats — typically four runs spread over two days (two runs per day). Each run is individually timed to 1/100th of a second. The cumulative time across all runs determines the final standings.

The start sequence is critical: athletes sprint up to 50 meters while pushing the sled, then load in. A fast start can provide an advantage of several tenths of a second, which at the finish often translates directly into a medal difference. Start times are measured from the first timing eye to a second eye roughly 50 meters down the track.

Sled Regulations

IBSF rules impose strict weight limits:

  • Two-man: maximum 390 kg (sled + crew)
  • Four-man: maximum 630 kg (sled + crew)
  • Monobob: standardized sled provided by IBSF, with a maximum combined weight of 247 kg for the pilot and sled.

If the crew is lighter than the maximum, ballast weights can be added to the sled up to the limit. Teams cannot exceed the maximum under any circumstances — sleds are weighed before and after each run.

Runner temperature is also regulated. Runners that are too warm slide faster, so officials check runner temperature before each heat. Runners must not exceed the reference temperature (measured from a control runner) by more than 4°C. Violations result in disqualification.

The Track

Olympic bobsled tracks are 1,200 to 1,650 meters long with a vertical drop of at least 110 meters. They feature 15–20 curves, including at least one straightaway and one labyrinth (a series of tight consecutive turns). The track is artificially refrigerated and maintained at approximately -5°C.

Piloting and Crew Roles

The pilot steers using two D-rings connected to a pulley system that adjusts the front runners’ angle. The brakeman sits in the back and is responsible for stopping the sled after the finish — never before. Applying the brake before the finish line results in disqualification. In the four-man event, the two middle crewmembers (pushers) have no controls — they tuck and stay as still as possible to avoid destabilizing the sled.

Start Order and Seeding

For the first heat, the start order is determined by world rankings — higher-ranked teams start later, which typically means better ice conditions (smoother, faster). In subsequent heats, the start order is reversed from the standings, so leaders go last.

Safety and Equipment Checks

All crew members must wear certified helmets and must be secured inside the sled before reaching a designated checkpoint on the track. If a crew member falls out, the team is not disqualified but will receive whatever time they post. Crashes are measured until the sled crosses the finish line (or doesn’t), and teams can push the sled across if needed.

Rules topics

Common confusion

Why are bobsled runners checked for temperature before each run?
Warm runners create a thin film of water on the ice surface, reducing friction and producing faster times. To prevent teams from illegally heating their runners, IBSF officials measure runner temperature before each heat and compare it to a control reference. Runners exceeding the reference by more than 4°C result in disqualification. This rule ensures the competition is about piloting skill and push speed, not thermal engineering.
What's the difference between monobob and two-woman bobsled?
Monobob features a single athlete (the pilot) in a standardized sled — every competitor uses the same IBSF-provided equipment, making it a purer test of driving skill. Two-woman bobsled has a pilot and a brakeman in a team-designed sled, adding push speed and sled engineering to the equation. Monobob was introduced at Beijing 2022 specifically to increase women's participation and create a more equipment-neutral event.
Can a team still be ranked if they crash during a run?
Yes. As long as the sled crosses the finish line — even upside down or on its side — the team receives a time. If the sled stops on the track, that run is recorded as DNF (Did Not Finish). Teams can even push the overturned sled to the finish. At the 1998 Nagano Olympics, several crashed sleds slid across the finish line and received valid times.
Why do some countries add weight to the sled?
IBSF sets maximum combined weights for sled and crew. Heavier sleds accelerate faster downhill due to gravity. If a crew weighs less than what would bring them to the maximum, they can add ballast weights (steel plates bolted into the sled). This levels the playing field somewhat, but lighter crews still face a disadvantage in the push start, where human power matters more than sled weight.
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