SpVgg Unterhaching - Generali Sportpark

Bobsleigh is definitely the most exhilerating sport I have had a go at and is certainly worth having a go if you get the chance! All over in less than a minute (which may be familiar to some! ) and quite expensive if doing it as a tourist but well worth it.

The slope I went on was the olympic slope used during the 2006 Turin Winter Olympics at Cesana / Sansicario in Piemonte Region when I was working in tourism in the area (in nearby Sestriere).The olympic bobsleigh run was one of the attractions available to people staying in resort and so, along with the football in Milan and Turin, was one of the attractions I used to escort people to by coach as well as being one of the free perks of that type of work.

This particular slope is 1435 metres and the bobsleigh would reach speeds of up to 135 kms per hour with 3.5 G's of force on the final turn.

The bobsleighs were driven by international bobsleigh drivers from both Italy and France (being near to the French border) who used the tourist runs every week as part of their training / practice.

The finishing times were always only a matter of seconds slower than the Olympic Gold Medal time, the only difference being the professional running start with the team members jumping in when a good momentum had been gained was of course not allowed, so everybody including the driver sat in at the start and the bobsleigh was then pushed off.

An interesting moment the first time when you realise there is no going back!! ;D