RAF Skeleton - Festival Of Ice

On the 19th of February, a team of four staff members and 12 athletes from bases all over the UK and some from abroad set off heading towards Igls Austria.

Lots of planning and preparation had gone into making this trip happen from 1 ISR Wing personnel including Sgt Watts (2 Sqn), who was team manager and oversaw all aspects of the event organisation. SAC Johnston (54 SU) had managed logistics and I was arranging team merch, individuals located near RAF Waddington assisted in kit preparations and loading the wagons.

We arrived in Igls and everyone was excited to get back on the ice! After sled preparations and track walks it was time to slide; starting lower on the track to get used to the bends. We had athletes and staff with a wide range of experience; as someone who is new to the sport it’s enthralling to get coaching from an Olympian, GB athletes and members of the team that have been involved in the sport for years.

Once confidence on the track had built, it was time to go from the top. For the first few attempts, we were aided with a push-start, but that soon turned into a gentle jog on the ice and increasing to a sprint start, allowing some to reach top speeds of approx. 70 mph. It’s hard to explain the excited / anxious feeling that I get when standing at the top of the ice track waiting for your name to be called, however once at the bottom it’s always the same feeling of wanting to go again!

We spent two weeks in Igls, which was a great opportunity to get time on the ice and progress, with many from the RAF team winning awards. Everyone in the team is so supportive and the energy at the track is exhilarating, I would recommend trying Skeleton to anyone!