Innsbruck (RWH) The IBSF Europe Cup (EC) race series 2018/19 kicks off with the Skeleton athletes in Innsbruck (AUT). The first training runs are scheduled from November 13 onwards, the first races on November 16-17.

Here are some facts and stats:

-          The IBSF Europe Cup is partly divided in a Skeleton and a Bobsleigh tour.

-          The Skeleton athletes start in Innsbruck, the Bobsleigh athletes have the first EC races in Altenberg (December 6-8)

-          In race series like the IBSF Europe Cup you can meet the younger and future stars of icetrack sports: lots of athletes begin their sliding career here before qualifying for their national World Cup, World Championships or Olympic teams. 

-          At the Kick-off EC Skeleton in Innsbruck, 64 athletes from 19 nations are currently registered. 

-          Even if it’s called „Europe Cup“, all nations may participate: European nations with a total of four male and female skeleton athletes, nations outside of Europe with two male/female athletes each.

-          Last season’s EC Skeleton winners were Brogan Crowley (GBR, Women’s Skeleton) and Krists Netlaus (LAT, Men’s Skeleton). 

-          For the first time this year, the Junior European Champions are crowned in a race-in-race mode: The final Skeleton EC race in Sigulda (LAT) on January 26, 2019 also counts as Continental Championships for the Junior Skeleton athletes from Europe. 

-          The schedule of IBSF Europe Cup Skeleton 2018/2019 (PDF)