The event is a thrill to watch and not for the faint of heart. The athletes slide on sleds through the course (sleds without braking or steering mechanisms), by shifting their body weights to manipulate the direction of their skid. This event takes sledding to the next level with the U.S. consistently putting together a competitive team. However, the Latvian siblings of Martins and Tomass Dukurs have taken top spots in the past five world championship competitions.

The women’s field however is wide-open for the event, which only will award one series of medals for individual sledding. Americans Noelle Pikus-Pace and Katie Uhlaender both have gold-medal dreams, but Brits Lizzy Yarnold and Shelley Rudman are heavy favorites for the podium.

Regardless of who is on the course, the event provides nail-biting action as the sleds navigate through the close curbs and hills of the race.