Ice Skater vs Bobsleigh

[Sheilawisz]

I have been watching the Sochi 2014 Winter Games everyday since they started, very happy and satisfied with all of the competitions. My favorite events have been the Luge, Skeleton and Bobsleigh races, so my mind has come up with a weird idea yesterday...

What would happen if a figure skater tried to slide/skate down the Bobsleigh track?

I do not know if that would be even possible (probably very dangerous, I guess) anyway: What speed do you think that a figure skater could reach in the track? Do you believe that the skater could beat the race times set by the Bobsleigh teams?

My theory is that the skater would crash disastrously at some point during the race, probably with a pretty high speed...

What do you think would be the result?

 

[Braveface]

It would have to be scaled up to be able to stand, no? I think they would go waaay too fast to stay upright the whole way down a modern bobsleigh track though. Maybe a similar thing could be done - I'm thinking of skateboarders at a closed water park going down and up the sides of big waterslides, I saw that somewhere. Or maybe it was BMXers.

I like these events too though. Especially Skeleton! How terrifying does that look?!!

 

[buyjupiter]

If they didn't crash immediately? They'd crash somewhere on the way down...

Bobsled tracks are way too sharply curved for anyone to go down them upright, if a figure skater tried they'd probably break just about every bone in their body. However, if you flattened out the curves and dropped the height of the overall slope, it should be possible--if still painful because of falls. That would make it more like an extreme version of the speed skating events, not really the bobsled ones.

This sounds awfully like what we came up with to make the ski events more interesting (read: deadly): cactus gates instead of the plastic ones.

 

[CupofJoe]

A downhill skier with long skates instead of skis might be able to do it... They would understand the speed better and probably be able to use the curves to their advantage and the long ski-skates would even out the fairly rough ice of the bob-sleigh track...

 

[hots_towel]

idk what would be more exciting. seeing what you proposed or seeing bobsleighers try to pull off figure skater moves on a rink in their sled. it would have to be motorized or something of course, but seeing a triple lutz from one of those things would be pretty funny

 

[Sheilawisz]

These are some very interesting comments, thank you all =)

Braveface, I agree that Skeleton is the scariest of all the scary ice track competitions. It looks absolutely terrifying... I mean, they go head first down the track on that tiny sled, it's really dangerous. I think that Bobsleighs are safer, because the Bobsleigh can protect the people inside it in case of a crash.

@buyjupiter and CupofJoe: You are right, I also believe that this idea could be done effectively if we changed the track a little and tried with speed skiers instead of skaters. It would be crazy exciting- Now we have to come up with a name for the new sport, do you have any ideas?

You cracked me up with that idea, hots towel... They should make a videogame called Crazy Winter Olympics featuring both my idea and yours, it would be mad.

I'll try to ski down a Bobsleigh track the next time I have a lucid dream...

 

[Penpilot]

In my opinion, they would crash pretty quick regardless of the skates they used. Long skates like speed skates give more stability, but there are drawbacks. Longer skates means they'll go faster. Longer skates also mean they're less agile. Hockey skates have a curved blade increasing agility and there's less surface touching the ice so less speed. But the drawback of the curved blade is less stability.

Another factor is the strength of a skater. They have to be able to hold those turns. If you look at speed skating, those skaters are already near the limit of human ability to hold a turn while going at top speed. Add more speed and it's going to be a clip from Jackass: The snow edition.

Well regardless, here's the closest thing you're going to get in real life.

2013 Saint Paul Ice Cross Downhill World Championship - YouTube

 

[Sheilawisz]

Thank you for your comment and for the link to that video, Penpilot... I had no idea that a skating competition like that even existed, it looks super cool and it should be part of the Winter Olympics and also the Winter X Games.

You convinced me completely that any ice skater would fatally crash in an attempt to complete the Bobsleigh track.

I guess that a very talented and skillful Speed Skater would manage a longer distance down the track than a figure skater, which was the original idea. I love ice skating (I have figure skates), but I have never practiced it seriously. Anyway, if I had the chance to try a Bobsleigh or a Luge in a track for beginners, I would love that...

They should make the Crazy Winter Games videogame, no doubt about that =)

 

[Penpilot]

They should make the Crazy Winter Games videogame, no doubt about that =)

That just reminded me of this, The Laff-Olympics, cartoon characters doing crazy Olympic events.