After the Winter Olympic Games of 2014 the public interest to bobsled more than ever increased. Athletes of the Russian national team competed at these competitions just brilliantly that partly and became the reason of that close attention which spectators show to this sport now. Many of them ask the question of in what way control of the bean which at the huge speed rushes in the ice trench is exercised.
One of enjoying the greatest popularity among spectators of disciplines at the Winter Olympic Games is the bobsled. This sport represents downhill racing on artificially created ice-covered trench on the special operated sledge – the bean – teams of two or four people. The bobsled is one of the most high-speed, spectacular and along with it injury-causing sports in the program of winter Games. How does the pilot operate the bean, at the huge speed passing track bends?
How the bean in bobsled is arranged and what duties of crew members consist in?
At the beginning of formation of bobsled as independent sport sledge were made of the tree. Subsequently for production of the body of the bean aluminum and fibreglass were used. The modern bean has the body made of kevlar – the heavy-duty material which perfectly proved in the design of bullet-proof vests. Chassis of the bean are manufactured of especially strong steel. The weight of the empty cutter is about 165 kg with the length slightly less than 3 meters, and the weight of four-seater sledge – already about 230 kg with the length of 3.8 m.
The team captain in bobsled is the pilot-helmsman from whose accurate actions safety of all team members. Pushers-dispersing – athletically the put heavyweight athletes – are responsible for good set with the speed bean at dispersal in the top point of the track. At last, braking is located in the rear of the case of sledge and is responsible for their timely stoppage.
How the control of sledge in bobsled is made?
The design of the bean means presence at it of the operated front bridge at immovability of back. Front runners by means of heavy-duty flexible drafts connect to special rings which are held in the hand by the pilot of the bean. Using certain efforts, through these rings it puts the steering mechanism of sledge in action that allows them to fit most precisely into bends and to pass them at the high speed. Dispersing practically don't take part in process of management of the bean during the movement – they perform only function of weighting of sledge, having as much as possible grouped to reduce resistance of air and deviating in the necessary party in the course of passing of bends. Braking at the right time puts in action the mechanism of the brake which is located between front and back bridges and reminds the huge metal comb. Certainly, skills of management of the bean are perfected at athletes to automatism that allows them to show such impressive results at competitions.