Learn to pilot a bobsled at 70 mph at Whistler Sliding Center

We will be taking a 2.5 hour class on how to pilot a two person bobsled down the Olympic ice track in Whistler, BC, which is the fastest track of its kind in the world. The first part consists of a classroom lecture on the construction of a bobsled, how to pilot it, and how to apply the brakes to stop the sled. The last part takes place on ice where each participant makes two trips down the track – once as the pilot and once as the breakperson.

Because we are all beginners our starting point is 2/3rds of the way up the track, and we don't have to push start the sled. The track consists of 16 curves, and we start at curve 7 and run the final 9 curves to the finish line. The trip takes about 45 thrilling seconds which means we are making a steering change about every five seconds. A typical speed is 70 miles per hour.

Here is a video which shows what the trip down the track looks like:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBUTharsryw

Here is a link to my blog of the class I took last March.

http://v2.travelark.org/travel-blog-entry/georgelondon/5/1489353106

The course is offered by Whistler Sport Legacies which operates at the Sliding Center. Here is the link to their web site that provides additional information, including registration data, about this U Drive activity.

http://www.whistlersportlegacies.com/discoveru-drive-bobsleigh-target-ages-16

We will drive to Whistler early Saturday morning. The class starts at 5:00 pm. We will have dinner in Whistler and then drive to the former Olympic Village athletes dorm where we will have our own individual bedroom (note: the backup plan will be to drive to a Squamish hotel if dorm rooms are unavailable). We will drive back to Seattle on Sunday morning.

I estimate the costs of this activity to be: $155 for the class and equipment use; $75 for individual dorm room; $50 for food; and $50 for car fuel (depends on the number of participants).

Please contact me if you might be interested in this activity. The class and dorm room bookings and payments will be made directly by each participant.

This class has only eight spots (and one of them is already taken by me). Please do not check "attending" this meeting unless you actually have a paid reservation with Whistler Sport Legacies. Also, as soon as you have made your reservation please reserve your overnight room. There still might be space at the athletes village. Carpools will be hard to manage if some of us spend the night in Whistler and some in Squamish (one hour away).

Make your reservation ASAP. This event follows the 2018 Winter Olympic Games and folks might develop an interest in bobsleding after the games.

George Liu

kayaker@war-is-hell.com