The IBSF Summer Training Camp – held for the very first time – is now in full swing at Olymp Sports Centre in Czechia’s stunning capital Prague.
A total of 26 bobsleigh and skeleton athletes from 12 nations on four continents are gaining valuable knowledge with targeted training sessions at the seven-day camp, as we approach our competition season culminating in the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games.
The training camp – which purposefully mixes seasoned Olympians with young athletes fresh onto the senior bobsleigh and skeleton circuits – comes to an exciting finale with the 35th International Championship of Czechia in Bobsleigh & Skeleton Push 2025 on 29-30 August.
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IBSF first Summer Camp excitement
“We’re in great hands here in Czechia – learning from top coaches and experienced peers in the gym, the class room and on the track in this central location in the ‘heart of Europe’,” underlined Nicola Minichiello, IBSF Academy & Development Manager.
“The IBSF Summer Training Camp has several key goals – at the top of the list is building the sense of belonging and collective identity for our bobsleigh and skeleton athletes, which is vital as we continue to expand our sports globally.
“So it’s fantastic to see such a diverse group of athletes coming together to connect, share experiences and hone skills into what will be a huge season with the Olympic Games on the horizon.”
YOG flag bearer eyes Milano Cortina 2026
Camila Copain, flagbearer for France at the Winter Youth Olympic Games (YOG) 2020, was the second youngest athlete to compete in monobob – at just 15 years old, she placed fifth.
No stranger to what the Olympics mean, growing up in Doucy at the heart of France’s renowned Valmorel ski area and just 30 minutes from Albertville – host of the 1992 Games – she is now focusing on her next Olympic goal at the IBSF Summer Training Camp.
Honouring the country where she was born – Colombia – Copain aims to become the nation’s first ever bobsleigh athlete at Milano Cortina 2026, at what will be the fourth Winter Olympic Games for this South American country whose Summer Olympic history goes all the way back to 1932.
“Monobob is super exciting – we don’t have a pusher or a brakewoman. We do all this ourselves – as well as drive. We’re sprinting, pushing a sled that weighs over 160kg – when we jump in, we need to negotiate the track completely alone, totally in the zone!” explained Copain, who jumped from skiing to bobsleigh in search of speed.
“I’m so happy to be here at IBSF’s first summer camp – gaining knowledge, learning how to be faster, more efficient and getting fitter into this important season.
“These are exciting times – competing at Milano Cortina 2026 would be an incredible honour at the second Games to feature women’s monobob.
“With so many older female athletes going strong in this sport, winning medals, it could easily be a reality for me to compete into the future – it’d be amazing to do this at French Alps 2030.”
#Socasliders in Czechia
Shakeel John, brakeman for Trinidad & Tobago Bobsleigh, is looking to hone his skills heading into the upcoming season with one thing on his mind – making history:
“We’re looking to secure more historical firsts for Trinidad & Tobago heading into the IBSF World Cup season – our debut at St. Moritz in January marked the first time a 4-man team from Trinidad & Tobago, and the first Caribbean team since 1998, competed in the World Cup.
“We’re also now super focused on what will be our nation’s second Olympic Games directly after Beijing 2022.
“This is a proud moment for all Caribbeans and of course for the ‘red, white and black’ flag of our dual island nation.
“I’ll be heading back to our team stronger physically and mentally, and with expert knowledge to share, after this camp!”
Summer – “living and breathing bobsleigh and skeleton”
Benny Maier, four-time Olympic bobsleigh driver for Austria, is now studying medicine while being coach of Team Austria’s development programme.
As an IBSF physical coach for this first-of-its-kind IBSF Summer Training Camp, he is targeting the wide spectrum of skills needed for success:
“Being a great athlete and a brilliant driver is vital – but there is so much more! Finishing with a team best time, or a personal best – or on the podium – means you need to understand biomechanics, know how to get your body into the correct position to push, and know how your body reacts to training and nutrition.
“Then there’s mental preparation and focus – whether you’re competing as a team, or on your own, you are travelling at huge speeds on the ice!
“Living and breathing these sports is key in summer at the gym and push track, before the winter season kicks in – where we have the colder climate and real life exposure moving from country to country, with the different ice tracks really testing you mentally as well as physically.
“We also have athletes here who may be the only representative of their nation heading into this next Olympic season, so this camp is also about building those all-important friendships off the ice that can make a really big difference to overall performance.”
High performance in Prague
With the athletes on the IBSF Summer Training Camp getting ready for an action packed week ahead, the Czech Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation is excited as hosts.
Martin Bohman, President of the Czech Bobsleigh and Skeleton Association, member of the Czech Olympic Committee’s Executive Committee, and member of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic bobsleigh team, concluded:
“We are honoured to be hosting the very first IBSF Summer Training Camp for athletes around the world – we hope this will be the first of many!
“Bobsleigh and skeleton requires so many different physical and mental skills – we can’t wait to see these athletes grow with intensive training and expertise from top specialists in our sports, here in Olymp Sports Centre.”
Photo credits: IBSF/Michael Neumann