Skeleton at the 2014 Winter Olympics – Qualification
The following is about the qualification rules and the quota allocation for the skeleton at the 2014 Winter Olympics.[1]
Qualification rules
A total of 50 quota spots are available to athletes to compete at the games. A maximum 30 men and 20 women may qualify. The qualification is based on the world rankings of January 20, 2014. Athletes must compete in five different races on three different tracks during the 2012/13 season or 2013/14 season. Male athletes must be in the top 60 of the world rankings, while women need to be in the top 45. Each continent (Africa, Americas, Asia, Europe and Asia) and the hosts are allowed to enter a sled provided they meet the above standard.
Qualification timeline
Races from October 1, 2013 until January 19th 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. Unused or realocated 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. All tables updated to the end of all competitions on January 18, 2014.
Current summary
| Nations | Men | Women | Athletes |
|---|---|---|---|
 Australia | 1 | 2 | 3 |
 Austria | 2 | 1 | 3 |
 Canada | 2 | 2 | 4 |
 Germany | 2 | 3 | 5 |
 Great Britain | 2 | 2 | 4 |
 Greece | 1 | 1 | |
 Ireland | 1 | 1 | |
 Italy | 1 | 1 | |
 Japan | 2 | 1 | 3 |
 Latvia | 2 | 1 | 3 |
 New Zealand | 1 | 1 | 2 |
 Romania | 1 | 1 | 2 |
 Russia | 3 | 3 | 6 |
 South Korea | 2 | 2 | |
 Spain | 1 | 1 | |
 Switzerland | 1 | 1 | |
 United States | 3 | 2 | 5 |
| Total: 17 NOCs | 27 | 20 | 47 |
Men
Current ranking by nation as of January 18 (7 of 7 races)[2] The FIBT has not released official qualification results and the below is based on world rankings and team announcements from the various countries.
| Sleds qualified | Athletes total | Rank of applicable sled |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | 6 | United States 11 Germany 15 Russia 19 |
| 2 | 14 | Latvia 3 Germany 61 Canada 12 Great Britain 14 Austria 17 Japan 28 South Korea 37 |
| 1 | 7 | Ireland 27 Switzerland 32 Italy 33 Greece 35 Australia 38 New Zealand 39 Spain 43 Romania 50 Slovenia 56 |
| 30 | | 15 NOC's |
Women
Current ranking by nation as of January 17 (7 of 7 races).[2] The FIBT has not released official qualification results and the below is based on world rankings and team announcements from the various countries.
| Sleds qualified | Athletes total | Rank of applicable sled |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | 6 | Russia 10 Germany 11 |
| 2 | 8 | Great Britain 3 Canada 15 Australia 17 United States 18 |
| 1 | 6 | Austria 4 Switzerland 8 New Zealand 13 Latvia 27 Japan 30 Netherlands 39 Romania 41 |
| 20 | 20 | 12 |
- ^ Netherlands qualified a single sled, but elected to not enter their athlete.
References
- ↑ "Qualification Systems for XXII Olympic Winter Games, Sochi 2014" (PDF). International Bobsleigh & Skeleton Federation. December 2011. Retrieved November 19, 2013.
- 1 2 FIBT ranking