Bobsledding, commonly known outside the United States as bobsleigh, is a sport where teams of two or four use gravity to make timed runs down banked iced tracks. Luge is a one to two-person team where one rider steers the sled.
Swiss entrepreneur Caspar Badrutt is credited with creating the idea of winter vacations in the 1800s, which ultimately led to the guests in his hotels to race delivery sleds through the streets. The popular winter pastime eventually evolved into what we know as luge, bobsled and skeleton.
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Badrutt built a special track for his guests to race on. This track was used in two separate Winter Olympic Games. It is one of the few tracks in the world that doesn't artificially refrigerate, using the natural cold environment to maintain the ice on the track.
Bobsled has been at every single Winter Olympic Games since its inception, with the exception of the 1960 games. Luge has been a staple since the 1964 Winter games.
Bobsledding and luge return to the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, with the event taking place at Alpensia Sliding. There are six bobsled and six luge events at this year's games; both sports have three events each for men and women. Skeleton, the single-ride sledding race, will have two events.
Bobsled -- Two-Person Runs
Men's dates: Feb. 18, 8:05 p.m., Feb. 19, 8:15 p.m.
Women's dates: Feb. 20, 8:50 p.m., Feb. 21, 8:40 p.m.
Here's how it works:
For the two-person bobsled, one rider takes on the role of a driver and the other controls the brakes. The event takes place over four runs over two days, with the winners being determined by the combined time of all four runs.
Bobsled -- Four-person runs
Men's date: Feb. 24, 9:30 a.m.
Women's date: Feb. 25, 9:30 a.m.
Here's how it works:
For the four-person bobsled, one rider takes on the role of a driver, one controls the brakes and the last two are designated as push athletes. The event takes place over four runs over two days, with the winners being determined by the combined time of all four runs.
Skeleton
Men's dates: Feb. 15, 10 a.m., Feb. 16, 9:30 a.m.
Women's dates: Feb. 16, 8:20 p.m., Feb. 17, 8:20 p.m.
Here's how it works:
Skeleton races begins with a running start from the opening gate at the top of the race course. Using what is known as a skeleton bobsled, the rider races face down with their feet behind them on the streamlined sled. The sleds don't have any brakes or steering mechanisms built into them, riders steer by balancing their weight or by creating friction with their hands or boots against the track. Raced with four runs over two days, the combined time of all four runs will determine the winner.
Luge singles
Men's dates: Feb. 10, 7:10 p.m., Feb. 11, 6:50 p.m.
Women's dates: Feb. 12, 7:50 p.m., Feb. 13, 7:30 p.m.
Here's how it works:
Luge singles are similar to skeleton, but the rider sits face-up with their feet facing forward, rather than lying down. Singles will take place over two days, with two races each day. Unlike bobsledding, luge allows the rider to steer by using their calf muscles to create friction with the sled's runners or by shifting their weight and ballance on the sled.
Raced over four runs, the combined time will determine the winner. Races are timed to a thousandth of a second due to the high speeds attained.
Luge doubles
Date: Feb. 14, 8:20 p.m.
Here's how it works:
Luge doubles has two riders on each sled. Open to both men and women, it's one of the few Olympic sports where a team could potentially feature a man and a woman. This competition takes place over one day, with the combined time of two runs determining the winner. If the athletes and sled aren't in contact with one another when the team crosses the line, they are disqualified.
Luge -- Team Relay
Date: Feb. 15, 9:30 p.m.
Here's how it works:
In team relay, each team gets three sleds. A women's singles, a men's singles and a doubles. Each sled races one after the prior sled reaches the bottom of the course. A touchpad at the finish line notifies the next sled they're ready to race. Timed from when the first sled starts to when the last sled finishes, the team with the fastest time determines the winner.
