Josip Brusic: A New Name to Watch in Skeleton

The Milan Cortina Olympics are captivating a global audience, and with them comes a renewed spotlight on the exhilarating sport of skeleton. This winter sliding sport demands incredible courage and precision, as athletes hurtle down icy tracks headfirst at speeds reaching 130 to 140 km/h. While seasoned competitors are vying for gold, a new name is beginning to generate buzz: Josip Brusic.

What is Skeleton Racing?

For those unfamiliar, skeleton involves a single athlete lying prone on a small sled, navigating a winding, icy course. Unlike bobsleigh, there’s no steering mechanism – athletes control their trajectory by subtle shifts in weight and body position. As Team Canada skeleton athlete Sébastien Régnier explains, speed is paramount. “Skeleton, just like bobsleigh, you sprint into the track with your sled, get in and then you drive down,” he said. “So obviously, being fast at the start is the biggest key performance indicator of you being good at the sport.”

The Instinctive Nature of Speed

Régnier, unfortunately sidelined from the 2026 games due to a hamstring injury, highlights the unique challenges of skeleton. “Things come at you so fast that you don’t really have time to look or process sometimes. It’s more just based off instincts,” he explained. “But it takes a lot of runs to build up that instinct, so sometimes you take some bumps and bruises along the way to learn how to go faster.” This learning curve, and the inherent risk, are what make skeleton so compelling.

Challenges and Future Aspirations

Régnier’s injury underscores the physical demands of the sport. His setback impacted his season, including Olympic qualifiers, but hasn’t dampened his Olympic spirit. He’s already setting his sights on the 2030 Winter Olympics in the French Alps. “I definitely have some FOMO, like fear of missing out,” Régnier admitted, referring to the current games. “But you know what? Being relatively new to the sport—like, this is the middle of my third season, so just over two years of sliding—I didn’t necessarily expect to make the games this year.”

Team Canada at Milano Cortina

While Régnier recovers, Team Canada’s skeleton team is currently competing in Milano Cortina, beginning on Thursday. Keep an eye out for emerging talents like Josip Brusic, who is quickly making a name for himself in the world of skeleton. The sport’s blend of athleticism, courage, and instinctive control makes it a must-watch event at the Olympics. You can learn more about the sport and Team Canada at Canada Skeleton.

With files from CTV’s Rachel Lagacé