Ranking all Winter Olympic sports by how scary they really are

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12 February 2026 at 04:11

The Winter Olympics bring sports we barely see outside of these few weeks. Many of them look exciting. Some of them look like a bad idea for normal people. A lot of these events mix speed, ice, height, and no room for mistakes. That is a perfect recipe for fear.

Here is every Winter Olympic sport at the 2026 Games, ranked by how scary it would be to try them yourself (via SB Nation).

16: Curling

Curling is calm compared to the rest. You slide a heavy stone and sweep ice in front of it. Skill matters more than danger. The worst outcome is a sore shoulder or a slip on the ice. Nothing about this sport screams disaster.

15: Bobsled

General view of the bobsled track at Mt Van Hoevenberg in Lake Placid, New York. Lake Placid would play host to bobsled, luge and skeleton events for the 2026 Olympics. Credit: Olympic Regional Development Authority via Imagn Images

Bobsled is fast, but you are not alone. Two or four people share the sled. Only one person has to steer. Speed depends on how good the team is. Bad drivers go slower, which helps. Sitting inside the sled feels safer than most sliding sports.

14: Figure Skating

Figure skating does not look deadly, but it is mentally rough. Every move is judged. One mistake ends your routine. All eyes stay on you the whole time. Falling hurts, but embarrassment hurts more. Pressure makes this sport scary in a different way.

13: Cross Country Skiing

Distance makes this sport frightening. A 50 kilometer race is brutal. The body would fail long before the finish line. Injuries are not common, but exhaustion is guaranteed. Starting this race without training sounds like punishment.

12: Biathlon

Biathlon adds rifles to skiing. Shooting while tired sounds risky. Carrying a gun while moving on snow feels worse. Even with safety rules, the idea alone raises stress. One bad move could end very badly.

11: Ski Mountaineering

Skiers competing in the girls Slalom during the Section 1 skiing championships at Hunter Mountain. Credit: Frank Becerra Jr./The Journal News / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

This event is new to the Olympics. Athletes climb mountains on skis and race back down. Steep slopes and fatigue make a bad mix. Falling on a climb or descent could end the run fast. The sport feels like work and fear combined.

10: Snowboarding

Snowboarding still hurts, but falls are easier to control. Riders face downhill with both feet locked in. That helps with balance. Events like halfpipe and big air look extreme, yet most beginners would fall before reaching danger speed.

9: Freestyle Skiing

Freestyle skiing adds flips and jumps. Aerials look especially scary. Landing wrong can break bones. Skis can cross or catch on snow. Wipeouts happen at bad angles. Snowboarding falls seem kinder by comparison.

8: Alpine Skiing

Olympic slopes are massive and steep. Athletes race at huge speeds. Crashes happen often. Trees, fences, and ice wait below. Stopping is not easy once you lose control. Trying this without training would be terrifying.

7: Speed Skating

Normal ice skating feels safe. Speed skating does not. Racers hit over 35 miles per hour. Long blades cut into ice with little grip. One slip can send you sliding into others. The rink becomes a danger zone.

6: Short Track Speed Skating

Short track is worse. Skaters race in tight circles. Everyone crowds together. Falls send bodies sliding into sharp blades. Chaos is part of the race. Injuries are common because there is no space to escape.

5: Ice Hockey

Hockey mixes speed with hitting. Players slam into boards on purpose. Pucks fly at high speed. Skates and sticks add more risk. Anyone without elite skill would be crushed in seconds. Survival would be the main goal.

4: Luge

Luge means lying on your back and flying downhill. Steering takes practice. Missing a turn could throw you off the track. Concrete walls sit just outside the ice. The course needs speed to stay safe. Slow runs can be dangerous too.

3: Ski Jumping

Ski jumping removes choice once you start. Deep tracks guide skis straight to the edge. Launching into the air happens whether you want it or not. Falling means tumbling down a huge slope. Fear has no exit here.

2: Nordic Combined

Anders Giese (USA) and Kai Mckinnon (USA) in action in the Nordic Combined Mixed Team Normal Hill/4×3.3km, Cross Country at the Alpensia Biathlon Centre. The Winter Youth Olympic Games. Credit: OIS/Jonathan Nackstrand-USA TODAY Sports

Nordic combined mixes ski jumping and cross country skiing. One sport is about flight. The other is about endless effort. Fear comes from the jump. Pain comes from the race. Together they make a brutal combo.

1: Skeleton

Skeleton wins easily. Athletes go headfirst down the track. Faces sit inches from the ice. Steering happens with small body moves. Crashing at high speed means slamming into walls. Choosing to race like this feels unexplainable.

Conclusion

Winter Olympic sports look beautiful on TV. Trying them would be another story. Some events scare the mind. Others threaten the body. A few do both at once. Skeleton stands alone at the top as the most frightening. Curling sits safely at the bottom. Between them lives a world of ice, speed, and danger. Watching from the couch has never felt smarter.