Competitors ride a small flat sled in single or two-person format and accelerate feet first and face-up down a sharp gradient on an ice track measuring 1,000 to 1,500 meters. Maximum average speeds reach 140 kilometers per hour - faster than bobsleigh and skeleton. Medals are awarded in men’s singles, women’s singles, doubles and team relay.

The course includes left curves, right curves, hairpin curves, S-shaped curves, and a labyrinth. The track has a U-shaped groove, and the walls on both sides are designed to be minimum 50 centimeters high so that the sled may not skid off the track.