Bobsleigh at the 2014 Winter Olympics – Qualification

Main article: Bobsleigh at the 2014 Winter Olympics

The qualification system for bobsleigh at the 2014 Winter Olympics determined the number of athletes and sleds each nation could enter in the men's and women's events. Qualification was based primarily on International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation (FIBT) world rankings and results from the 2012-13 and 2013-14 seasons, with additional quota places reserved to ensure host nation and continental representation. ^[1]

Qualification Rules

A maximum of 170 quota spots are available to athletes to compete at the games. A maximum 130 men and 40 women may qualify. The qualification is based on the world rankings of January 20, 2014. Pilots must compete in five different races on three different tracks during the 2012/13 season or 2013/14 season. Men pilots must be in the top 50 of the world rankings, while women need to be in the top 40. Each continent (Africa, Americas, Asia, Europe and Oceania) and the hosts are allowed to enter a sled provided they meet the above standard. For each men's event 30 sleds will be allowed to compete (maximum of three NOCs with three sleds and six NOCs with two sleds). For the women's event there will be a total of 20 sleds allowed to compete (maximum of two NOCs with three sleds, four NOCs with two sleds).

Qualification timeline

Races from October 1, 2013 until January 19 will apply to qualification for the Olympics. In general this means that the Olympic field is established by using the first seven world cup races of the 2013-14 season, but also includes results from intercontinental, Europe, and America cup races. Four sleds will then be allocated in both men's categories, and three in the women's, to either host or continental representation. Unused or reallocated spots will be filled by January 27, 2014.

Quota allocation

The following summary is not indicative of assurance of Olympic qualification, but of how the allocations would be represented based on the current FIBT rankings.

Current summary

Nations	Two-man	Four-man	Two-woman	Athletes
Australia	1	1	1	6
Austria	1	1	1	6
Belgium			1	2
Brazil		1	1	6
Canada	3	3	2	16
Czech Republic	1	1		4
France	1	2		8
Germany	3	3	3	18
Great Britain	1	2	1	8
Italy	1	1	1	4
Jamaica	1			2
Japan	1	1		4
Latvia	2	2		8
Monaco	1			2
Netherlands	2 1	1	1	6
Poland	1	1		4
Romania	1	1	1	8
Russia	2	3	2	16
Serbia	1			2
Slovakia	1	1		4
South Korea	2	2	1	10
Switzerland	2	2 1	2	9
United States	3	2	3	16
Total: 23 NOCs	30	30	20	169

• Most countries have athletes that crossover between the two-men and four-men events. Romania and the United States are the only two countries which have some turnover between the two-men and four-man teams.

Two man

Final ranking by nation (as of January 18, 2013). ^[2]

Sleds qualified	Athletes total	Rank of applicable sled
3	18	United States 6   Canada 11   Germany 12
2	18	Russia 13   Latvia 14   Switzerland 15   South Korea 22   Netherlands 29 1
1	24	Italy 19   France 20   Netherlands 21   Monaco 23   Austria 24   Romania 26   Japan 27   Great Britain 28   Australia 32 2   Poland 35   Jamaica 39   Serbia 41   Slovakia 48   Czech Republic 52 3
30	60	19

1. ^ Netherlands qualified two sleds, but elected to send only one.
2. ^ The final four sleds are given to fulfill continental representation (Australia), and then to the top nations not previously qualified (Poland, Jamaica, Serbia).
3. ^ Czech Republic received the unused quota spot from the Netherlands. Slovakia was ranked higher, but also declined the spot.

Four man

Final ranking by nation (as of January 19, 2014). ^[2]

Sleds qualified	Athletes total	Rank of applicable sled
3	36	Germany 8   Canada 10   Russia 13
2	40	United States 14   Latvia 15   Great Britain 20   Switzerland 27 1   South Korea 44   France 46
1	44	Switzerland 11   Netherlands 16   Italy 17   Japan 23   Czech Republic 24   Australia 30   Romania 32   Austria 35   Brazil 36 2   Poland 37   Slovakia 38 3
30	120

1. ^ Switzerland rejected one of its two qualified sleds.
2. ^ The final four sleds (Brazil, Poland, Slovakia, Serbia) are allocated at the end to the top nations not previously qualified.
3. ^ Slovakia received the unused quota spot from Switzerland.

Two women

Final ranking by nation (as of January 19, 2014). ^[2]

Sleds qualified	Athletes total	Rank of applicable sled
3	12	Germany 6   United States 7
2	12	Switzerland 12   Canada 14   Russia 18
1	16	Belgium 9   Netherlands 11   Great Britain 13   Australia 19   Austria 20   Brazil 23   Italy 27 1   South Korea 29 2   Romania 28 3
20	40	12

1. ^ Italy rejected using its quota it qualified.
2. ^ The final three sleds are given to fulfill continental representation (South Korea), and then to the top nations not previously qualified (Brazil and Italy).
3. ^ Romania received the unused quota spot from Italy.

References

1. "Qualification Systems for XXII Olympic Winter Games, Sochi 2014" (PDF). International Bobsleigh & Skeleton Federation. December 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 28, 2013. Retrieved November 10, 2012.
2. FIBT ranking Archived 2014-02-14 at the Wayback Machine