February 26, 2015, Winterberg: U.S. Women Lead In Two-Woman Bobsleigh after Second Heat.
Check BMW's virtual tour of the course video at the end of this article.
The BMW FIBT Bobsleigh & Skeleton World Championships 2015 kicked off in Winterberg, Germany on Thursday, February 26 and will run through March 8. As we watch the race replays, we are reminded of the excitement generated by the bobsleigh (here in North America we prefer bobsled) teams during last year’s Winter Olympics. BMW is the title sponsor for the FIBT Bobsleigh & Skeleton World Championships this year, so it wants the event to be exciting, but there is also a measure of company pride at stake in some of the equipment.
At the end of the second heat on opening day, February 26, the U.S. team of Elena Meyers Taylor and Cherrelle Garrett established a substantial 0.39-second lead over three German teams, and set course records in the process. The women’s event will continue on Saturday, February 28 with the final two heats. The Team USA women’s and men’s two-person bobsleds are made by BMW, by the way.
Check television listings on NBC Universal Sports for TV coverage of the BMW FIBT Bobsleigh & Skeleton World Championships starting up again on Saturday, February 28, 2015.
There is a reason why there is practically no place you can cast your eyes around the championship venue in Winterberg without seeing the BMW roundel, or other BMW trademarks and catchwords, including a big BMW roundel logo on each sled. The reason for this is that BMW is title partner of the 2015 BMW FIBT Bob & Skeleton World Championship, as well as the Official Main Sponsor of the FIBT World Cup and Title Sponsor of the FIBT World Championships. BMW is also the Official Car and Technology Partner of the FIBT World Cup, World Championships and Federation, as well as Title Sponsor of the FIBT World Championships. Got all that?
The difference between victory and defeat in bobsleds can be thousandths of a second. Technology and aerodynamics can give or cost those thousandths, depending on who is at the controls. Current two-man bobsled world champion, Francesco Friedrich, compares it to a car, “When you have to steer so precisely in the channel, it is all intuitive. To a certain degree, it is the same when you are at at the wheel of a BMW sports car.”
The designers and builders of today’s world-class sleds do their work in secret. Even though the spectators can’t recognize the precision work when the bobsled is racing down the run at up to 87 miles per hour and sustaining up to five Gs, but they can see the results.
Friedrich Edel, Head of Sports Marketing BMW Deutschland notes the high level of competition and what is required to win at that level. “It's with good reason that bobsleighing is regarded as the Formula 1 of winter sports,” said Edel. “BMW has been the Technology Partner of the German Bobsleigh, Luge, and Skeleton Federation since 2010. As well as the work in the BMW wind tunnel, computer-aided analysis methods are used in the development of the sports equipment, using a 3D model to determine the aerodynamic characteristics. We want to bring this competency to our new partnership with the International Bobsleigh & Skeleton Federation (FIBT) and visualize the fascination as well as the technological aspect of the sport for fans of winter sports.”
This year’s track, upon which the world championships will be decided, is known as the Silver Snake, because of its aluminum roof. World champion Francesco Friedrich analyzed the Silver Snake for BMW, “There are three key points on this track. Shortly after the start you have the Omega corner, then turn nine: that has to be spot on, in order to make a good transition and take plenty of speed into the third important part, the Labyrinth. Obviously you also have to get the Labyrinth right to avoid losing any time in the final turn, which throws you right to the top of the track. These three points have to be good, otherwise you can kiss goodbye to any hopes of a World Championship title.”
To help viewers visualize and understand the intricacies of the track, BMW has produced a virtual ride on Winterberg’s Silver Snake course. You can view it in the video below. Enjoy and try not to get dizzy.—Scott Blazey
[Photos and video courtesy of BMW AG.]
