What is track construction in Skeleton?

Section 3: Playing Area

Track length: 1200–1650 m (3937–5413 ft) from the skeleton/bobsled start to the finish
Vertical drop: 100–150 m (328–492 ft) from start to finish
Number of curves: 15–20 curves, including S-curves, hairpins, and high-banked turns
Average gradient: 8–15% overall; sections may reach 20% on steeper passages
Tracks are shared with bobsled and luge competitions (skeleton and bobsled use the same start; luge starts lower)

Artificially refrigerated: ammonia or Freon-based refrigeration coils embedded in the concrete track structure maintain ice at -5 °C to -8 °C (23–18 °F)
Ice surface: 2.5–5 cm (1–2 in) thick, built up by hand-spraying water layers and shaped by track crews
Track walls: raised concrete walls lined with ice; roofed sections on some modern tracks to protect from sun and precipitation
Only 16 artificially refrigerated sliding tracks exist worldwide (as of 2026), making track access a limiting factor for the sport’s growth

Running start zone: Approximately 30–40 m (98–131 ft) of level or slightly downhill ice surface
Start block/handles at the beginning of the start zone for athletes to position their sled
Start timing: Electronic timing beam at 15 m marks the push start time; second beam at approximately 50 m records the “start time” (critical performance metric)
Start area is grooved or textured for spike shoe traction

Electronic timing beam at the finish line records time to 1/100th of a second
Deceleration zone (braking stretch) after the finish: minimum 100 m of uphill track for the sled to slow naturally
Foam padding on the terminal wall at the end of the braking stretch
Sled recovery area where athletes exit the track and equipment is collected for post-race inspection

Track length: 1200–1650 m (3937–5413 ft) from the skeleton/bobsled start to the finish
Vertical drop: 100–150 m (328–492 ft) from start to finish
Number of curves: 15–20 curves, including S-curves, hairpins, and high-banked turns
Average gradient: 8–15% overall; sections may reach 20% on steeper passages
Tracks are shared with bobsled and luge competitions (skeleton and bobsled use the same start; luge starts lower)

Artificially refrigerated: ammonia or Freon-based refrigeration coils embedded in the concrete track structure maintain ice at -5 °C to -8 °C (23–18 °F)
Ice surface: 2.5–5 cm (1–2 in) thick, built up by hand-spraying water layers and shaped by track crews
Track walls: raised concrete walls lined with ice; roofed sections on some modern tracks to protect from sun and precipitation
Only 16 artificially refrigerated sliding tracks exist worldwide (as of 2026), making track access a limiting factor for the sport’s growth

Running start zone: Approximately 30–40 m (98–131 ft) of level or slightly downhill ice surface
Start block/handles at the beginning of the start zone for athletes to position their sled
Start timing: Electronic timing beam at 15 m marks the push start time; second beam at approximately 50 m records the “start time” (critical performance metric)
Start area is grooved or textured for spike shoe traction

Electronic timing beam at the finish line records time to 1/100th of a second
Deceleration zone (braking stretch) after the finish: minimum 100 m of uphill track for the sled to slow naturally
Foam padding on the terminal wall at the end of the braking stretch
Sled recovery area where athletes exit the track and equipment is collected for post-race inspection