Tobogganing involves sliding down an ice- or snowcovered slope on a small sled. Three primary types of
toboggans are used in competition: the skeleton or
Cresta Run toboggan, the luge toboggan, and the bobsleigh or bobsled. This entry focuses on skeleton or
Cresta Run tobogganing, in which the rider assumes a
head first, prone position upon the toboggan.
History
The term “toboggan” has been traced back to the
French-Canadian word tabaganne, which was originally derived from an Algonquian word odabaggan,
meaning sled.
Native American people in eastern Canada are credited with creating the toboggan. They fashioned a simple, highly functional sledge or sled from long thin
strips of birchwood poles or slats with turned-up ends,
fastened together with deer leather thongs. These toboggan sleds were first used to transport items across
the frozen northern terrain of various lake and river
systems. The narrow design of the toboggan permitted
it to “float” easily on the trail packed down by a snowshoer who pulled it along behind. On downhill stretches, the rider sat on the sled and steered it with
sticks.
Tobogganing as a sport began on the slopes of
Mount Royal near Montreal, Canada, during the 19th
century. In Europe, recreational tobogganing was described in documents as far back as the 16th century.
Visitors from Great Britain and the United States introduced tobogganing at the Alpine recuperative centers in Davos and St. Moritz, Switzerland, and the sport
soon became popular among tourists in the snowclad
Swiss Alps region. Tobogganing was considered to be
an excellent form of recreation for people with disabilities, since it could be done while sitting in an upright
position.
Much experimentation in the design of both toboggans and runs took place during this period. In 1879
two toboggan runs were designed and constructed at
Davos, Switzerland. Shortly thereafter, in 1881, national
toboggan competition began on a course located between the hamlets of Davos and Klosters in Switzerland. The Davos Tobogganing Club was formed in 1883
and began to sponsor races among teams from different local luxury hotels-cum-sanitariums. By March
1883 international competitions were being held in
Switzerland on the Davos-Klosters toboggan run,
which was over 3,000 meters in length. In the later part
of that decade, tobogganing became popular in
Canada, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, the United
States, and Russia.
Toboggan runs were designed and engineered to
provide a directed curving, downhill course (or chute),
which increased the speed, skill requirements, and
competitive appeal of the activity for participants and
spectators, while minimizing hazards and mishaps.
During the period of rising participation and popularity as a winter sport (1880s), tobogganing evolved
and branched into the three main forms of skeleton or
Cresta tobogganing, lugeing (which developed from the
one-person toboggan), and bobsledding (dubbed the
“bob-sleigh” because the early riders leaned back and
then “bobbed” forward to increase speed on the
straightaway sections). In 1964 luge became an
Olympic event and replaced skeleton or Cresta tobogganing as a competitive sport. At this juncture, luge tobogganing emerged from the shadow of bobsledding
events, which had already attained Olympic status in
1924.
The Fédération Internationale de Bobsleigh et Tobogganing (FIBT) was originally founded in 1923 and
governed bobsledding, tobogganing, and luge international rules and events. The Fédération Internationale
de Bobsleigh et Tobogganing was reorganized in 1957
as the official international governing body for bobsledding and skeleton tobogganing.
Several U.S. communities have begun to sponsor
winter carnivals or snow bowls. One example of these
occurs at Ragged Mountain at Camden, Maine. This is
where the U.S. National Tobogganing Championships
are held on New England’s newly restored and longest
toboggan slide (134 meters). Participants ride the icecoated wooden chute on traditional ash or maple sleds.
Rules and Play
The term “skeleton” refers to the simple, skeleton-like
outline of the toboggan frame, originally crafted from
steel, wood, and canvas or leather. Today, the skeleton
toboggan is constructed of steel or fiberglass.
Design changes further improved the toboggan. In
1901 the sliding seat was developed. By 1903 a snubnosed toboggan was introduced. Ball-bearings were
later used to improve the sliding seat apparatus. Since
this period, the design of the skeleton toboggan has remained essentially the same.
The Cresta run is an extremely winding and challenging course with steep banks rebuilt each year by
the St. Moritz Toboggan Club in Switzerland. Races
typically begin from either the top or from junction to
the finish. Top to finish represents the full length of the
course.
The prime Cresta toboggan competition occurs
during the subzero temperature season between January and February, when 50 events are often scheduled.
Cresta course races are composed of three heats; the
winner is the person with the shortest cumulative time
from the three runs. The runners on the toboggan may
not be heated. Toboggans used in the Cresta run may be
any size, shape, or weight, with speed and stability being the guiding design factors.A critical selection factor
for competitors is that the toboggan dimensions must
be a “good fit” for the user in terms of length, width,
height, and weight. Mechanical brakes and steering
components, however, are not allowed on the toboggan.
The type of toboggan preferred on the Cresta course
is known as the “steel skeleton.” One person rides upon
the skeleton toboggan.“Raking” equipment, composed
of steel spiked toe pieces screwed into the boots worn
by tobogganists, is applied to the run for steering and
braking purposes.
Good judgment gained through experience is necessary for both selection of the most appropriate toboggan and appropriate strategies and techniques for
the course. Tobogganists wear spiked shoes to help
them gather initial momentum during a 50-meter
sprint start, which is accomplished in a bent-over position by pushing the skeleton toboggan along the track.
Once they achieve the desired momentum, riders lunge
smoothly onto the sled. To negotiate corners or prevent
slipping on iced banks, sledders use a technique called
head steering: the rider shifts position so the body
weight is primarily to the rear of the toboggan, which
has deeply grooved runners. This arrangement permits
the front of the toboggan to be steered by swinging or
jerking it from side to side. Changes in direction may
be initiated by slightly tilting the head. While the feet
are seldom used, they may be sparingly and judiciously
applied to help steady, steer, and control the pace on
banks or corners.
—KATHARINE A. PAWELKO
Bibliography: Conover, Garrett, and Alexandra Conover.
(1995) A Snow Walker’s Companion: Winter Skills from the
Far North. Camden, ME: Ragged Mountain Press. Cross,
Gary. (1990) A Social History of Leisure since 1600. State
College, PA: Venture.