A dynamic twist on a great winter sportMonobob, with exclusive support from OMEGA
Monobob competitions will, as the name suggests, feature sleek one-person bobs. The new sport is accessible both to men and women and it allows athletes to train alone so they don't have to coordinate their schedules with colleagues. And at around 2.30 metres in length, the Monobob is also quite light, weighing only around 130 kilograms. On the track, it can reach speeds of up to 120 km/hour and can exert a gravitational force of three Gs!
Attracting the next generation of winter athletes
The Monobob is ideally positioned to attract newcomers to competitive winter sports. Nick Hayek, the CEO of OMEGA's parent company, the Swatch Group, is particularly excited about this aspect of Monobob saying, "Bob has always been one of the most spectacular winter sports. Along with its aesthetic appeal, team spirit plays a big role. However, the introduction of Monobob allows a whole bunch of new athletes to make first steps in this sport and the fun part will probably be more in the center than the latest scientific developments."
Christian Meili, the President of Swiss Sliding, echoed Mr. Hayek's enthusiasm saying, "The Monobob is an exciting opportunity perfectly designed and timed to attract spectators to thrilling events that will motivate a new generation always looking for adrenalin-generating challenges and experiences."
The role of OMEGA timekeeping in bobsleigh events
All participants in a bobsleigh race seek to complete their run in the fastest possible time. At the St. Moritz run, the OMEGA timekeeping team has installed 16 separate pairs of infra-red photocells, which are used to measure start, intermediate and finish times and maximum speeds achieved by each of the competitors as they speed down the run. OMEGA brings unparalleled experience in providing precise and reliable times and results to the new Monobob sport and will introduce transponder technology for additional real-time measurements.
In 2002, the brand signed a multi-year agreement with the FIBT to serve as Official Timekeeper of the FIBT World Cup and FIBT World Championships. OMEGA is proud that it will be serving as Official Timekeeper of every Olympic Games through 2020.
The Olympia Bob Run
The world-famous Olympia Bob Run St. Moritz/Celerina, built in 1904 and in use ever since, remains today the only natural run still used for international competitions—all other tracks on the FIBT World Cup circuit must be artificially iced. The St. Moritz run offers a unique challenge to the athletes, since its surface is unpredictable and varies from year to year. Each year in November, a team of specialists carves a new run from 5,000m3 of snow and 4,000m3 of water. One of the biggest attractions along the run is the “Horseshoe” curve, which is an impressive 6.75 metres high and can be viewed in its entirety from a terrace set up on the opposite side of the road. With its support of Monobob, OMEGA reaffirms its long-term commitment to the run, the sport and its dynamic, innovative future.