Skeleton is a high‑speed winter sliding sport where individual athletes race head‑first and face‑down on a specially designed sled along a precisely engineered ice track. The process begins with a powerful push‑start where the athlete sprints on the ice, building momentum before carefully diving onto the sled. Once mounted, the athlete uses subtle shifts in body weight and strategically timed movements to steer through tight turns and straightaways while maintaining aerodynamic form. The design of both the sled and the athlete’s body position are optimized to reduce air resistance and maximize gravitational acceleration. All of these elements — from the initial push to the technical riding phase — are governed by strict IBSF regulations, ensuring fairness and safety on tracks around the world.

Olympic skeleton features two primary events, with a third, mixed-team event introduced for the 2024-25 season, just in time for the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics:

• Men’s skeleton: Male athletes compete individually, sliding head-first on their sleds down the track
• Women’s skeleton: Female athletes race using similar sled designs and track rules to the men’s event
• Mixed‑team skeleton: New for the 2026 Winter Olympics, this event pairs one man and one woman athlete from the same National Olympic Committee (NOC) in a relay-style competition. Each athlete completes a run on the track, with the combined times determining the winning team. This event provides a unique opportunity for nations to showcase gender inclusivity and team strategy, creating a more dynamic and competitive aspect to the sport.

In skeleton, the competition is based on timing to the hundredth of a second (0.01 seconds), with advanced electronic timing systems ensuring precision. The total time taken for each athlete to complete all of their official runs is recorded. The athlete’s times from each of the heats are combined to determine their overall standing. The competitor with the lowest cumulative time across all heats wins the event. To maintain fairness, each run is timed and measured independently, with the goal being to minimize any errors caused by external factors, like track conditions or ice quality. The scoring system highlights the precision and speed of the athletes, as even the smallest errors can result in significant time losses.

Olympic skeleton competitions consist of four heats, usually conducted over two days of racing. On the first day, athletes complete two runs, while the final two runs occur on the second day. This format not only tests the consistency and technical proficiency of the competitors but also helps to offset any minor variances in track conditions.

The gold medal is awarded to the competitor with the lowest combined time, the silver medal goes to the second fastest, and the bronze medal is awarded to the third fastest. The order in which the heats are completed is designed to ensure the sleds don’t  excessively get worn or damaged, with the second day typically offering fresher conditions for those who have run earlier in the competition.

To ensure fair competition and athlete safety, there is a comprehensive set of rules for Olympic skeleton:

• Pre‑Race Training: Competitors must complete a series of officially sanctioned training runs prior to the competition. These sessions allow athletes to familiarize themselves with the track while enabling officials to verify that equipment adheres to technical specifications.
• Equipment Regulations: Strict guidelines govern sled design, including dimensions, materials, and weight restrictions. For example, combined athlete and sled weights have maximum limits (e.g., roughly 115 kg/254 lbs for men and 102 kg/225lbs for women) to maintain fairness. Any modifications to the sled post‑weigh-in heavily are regulated.
• Parc Fermé Procedures: Following weigh‑in, sleds are kept within a designated “parc fermé” area where any modifications are not allowed unless explicitly approved under tightly controlled circumstances. This ensures all competitors are using equipment within the sanctioned parameters.
• Safety Protocols: IBSF rules include detailed safety procedures, from the mandatory use of helmets and specialized suits to the design and maintenance standards of the ice track. These protocols continually are updated based on the latest research and technological advances to minimize risk.
• On‐Ice Conduct: Athletes must follow the precise push‑start protocol, and any deviations or technical infringements (for example, unsanctioned adjustments or pushing outside the designated area) result in penalties or disqualification.

The start order in Olympic skeleton is based on the world rankings of the athletes prior to the competition. In the first heat, higher-ranked athletes usually start later because the ice conditions slightly are better after the earlier runs. For subsequent heats, the order is reversed — athletes with the fastest cumulative times start later in order to ensure fairness, as the track conditions change over time. The goal is to minimize the effect of ice degradation caused by multiple sleds racing down the track.

In the event of a tie, where two or more athletes achieve the same total time, they are awarded the same ranking. This relatively is rare but can happen as athletes often only are separated by milliseconds. For start order in the event of a tie between athletes, the higher bib number goes first in subsequent heats.