Winter Olympics 2018: How Fast Do Luge And Skeleton Riders Go?

At the Winter Olympics, luge and skeleton riders shoot themselves down icy chutes on tiny sleds. But how fast do they go down the track?

Some of the fastest athletes at the Winter Olympics are the ones throwing themselves down an icy chute with reckless abandon. While the athletes in the bobsled competition have a little more protection, the riders of the luge and skeleton are on small sleds lying down to improve aerodynamics.

But how fast are these riders going?

According to NBC Sports, luge competitors can reach speeds as high as 90 mph. The track itself is less than a minute long, so competitors are completing the course in under a minute.

At the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi, the top speed in men’s skeleton was a hair over 80 mph. The fastest speed in Sochi in the women’s skeleton was a hair under 79 mph.

While going down head first in the skeleton might seem more intimidating, the riders of the luge are traveling faster. This is because traveling down feet fist puts them in a more aerodynamic position. While the headfirst is perhaps more dangerous, the helmet is a bigger object to push the air out of the way.

Luge riders point their feet to cut through the air, almost like a knife, creating a smaller area of surface area.

Either way, an athlete competing in either sport needs to be a bit of an adrenaline junkie.

The United States is sending six athletes to compete in the luge:

• Summer Britcher
• Erin Hamlin
• Emily Sweeney
• Chris Mazdzer
• Taylor Morris
• Tucker West

And another four athletes will compete in the skeleton:

• Matt Antoine
• John Daly
• Katie Uhlaender
• Kendall Wesenberg

Next: Best Olympian from each state

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