New season, new rules

Besides, the sleds would race the second heats finishing with the best of the first heat (20-1). This regulation has been practiced successfully for some time in skeleton before coming to bobsleigh and will apply to every discipline (men's bobsleigh, 2-man and 4-man, women's bobsleigh, men and women's skeleton).

In the meantime, the FIBT announced the harmonization of the new calendar, which includes six World Cup venues that will host all the disciplines during the same week. The only exception to that rule will be Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy where only bobsleigh events will take place while skeleton will be held at Sigulda, Latvia.

In this spirit, the 2005 World Championships in Calgary, Canada and the World Junior Championships in Winterberg, Germany, will be organized so that all the disciplines are held at the same place.

Finally, the FIBT congress voted the new system of points for next season last June stating that the winning sled would collect 100 points while the last sled would get 1 point.

To conclude, Eurosport will provide more than 40 hours of live coverage to bring you the best of the 2004-05 bobsleigh and skeleton season.