The Inside Track on Bobsleigh Design

Menardi first stepped into a bobsleigh workshop at age 16 and has since spent nearly five decades shaping the sport from behind the scenes. With more than 50 sleds built for international competition and experience spanning seven Olympic Games – including 10 years with the Canadian national team – he represents a living archive of Cortina's deep winter sports culture. His workshop is a rare blend of tradition and innovation, where steel frames, composite shells, and aerodynamic precision converge.

As Cortina prepares to host the Olympic events in 2026, Menardi's work has taken on renewed significance. The sleds he is currently building will serve as forerunners and help establish the longterm legacy of the revived sliding centre – an essential step in ensuring the sport continues to thrive locally after the Games.

STYLE ALTITUDE had an exclusive interview with Diego Menardi to learn more about his craft, his connection to Cortina, and the behind-the-scenes work that will help shape Milano Cortina 2026."

How do you feel about the Olympic Games being hosted in your home region? What do you hope your work will contribute to the sport in Italy and Europe in the long term?

Obviously, the Games being hosted in my hometown is a big showcase and a major opportunity for tourism and economic development in the immediate future. I'm sure the legacy left through renewed sports facilities and civil infrastructure will help our community for many years to come. My work – specifically the equipment I'm building for the sliding centre – is one small part of that legacy. An event of this magnitude must leave something lasting in the territory for the future development of young athletes.

Can you describe your role in preparing bobsleighs for the Olympic Games Milano Cortina 2026? Will the sleds you are currently building be used in competition, or mainly as forerunners to leave a legacy after the Games?

Our sleds will be used as forerunners and, as I mentioned before, for the legacy. We need to keep the sliding centre and the local bobsleigh clubs going.

Throughout your career, you've built many sleds for national teams, including Canada. Could you share your experience contributing to winning teams and what it feels like to have your work involved in top-level competitions?

Whenever you work in a high-performance team, your aim and focus must be the same as the whole team. As a single individual – no matter what your position is – you must pursue the same goal as everyone else. This is the only way to be able to perform properly.

What materials and techniques do you primarily use in constructing competitive bobsleighs, and how do you balance weight, strength, and safety?

Bobsleighs are built in two main parts: the frame, made of steel and mechanical components, and the cowling, made of composite materials such as fiberglass, carbon fibre, and Kevlar.

Construction begins with technical drawings for the frame and mechanics, following the guidelines set by the International Federation. Using CAD systems, we can simulate all the movements the steel parts make during a descent. In this process, we consider ideal weight balance and strength and select appropriate materials. Safety issues are largely governed by international rules, which must be strictly followed.

The cowling follows a similar process. Using 3D modelling, we define an aerodynamic form that complies with international rules; then we make a positive and a mould to build the actual shell.

The frame and mechanical parts take the longest time to complete – about 700 hours of work for more than 200 parts. These must be fitted, welded, heat-treated or stress-relieved, assembled, and straightened on a jig bench. No mistakes can be made if the sled is to perform correctly. After painting, the frame is assembled with the cowling, and the first test on ice tells you whether it will be a fast one or not.

How do you work with athletes and coaches when customising a sled to fit their style and strengths?

Working on a new project and knowing the athlete who will use it helps you decide, together with the pilot, on the best frame setup. Much of it comes down to comfort, seating position, and steering sensitivity. Of course, this is easier during construction, but adjustments can also be made on existing sleds previously used by others.

In bobsleigh design, how do you decide when to innovate with new materials or shapes versus relying on tried-and-tested designs?

The way we construct sleds allows us to make modifications and improvements with every new build. Usually, the improvements are minimal so that we can understand in the field whether they work or not.

Could you walk us through the step-by-step process of building a bobsleigh in your Cortina workshop?

Once the final drawings are complete, we begin building all the main parts: the articulation mechanism, steering bolt, runner carriers, and axles. Some parts are heat-treated and then sent to a machine shop for refinishing.

We then build the remaining parts – frame beams, steering arm, brakes, footpegs, push bars, closing mechanisms, driver's seat, and driver's rings. When the cowling arrives from the fibreglass shop, we start assembling everything on a jig bench, checking angles, straightness, and all the measurements essential for a quality product.

The frame is then welded, cleaned of all welding residue, and rechecked on the bench to ensure it meets the specifications. All parts are mounted to the frame and tested. After painting the components, we complete the final assembly of the sledge.

Are there any unique features of the Milano Cortina 2026 tracks that affect how you design or adjust your bobsleighs?

We haven't had much time, due to construction, to fully understand the features of this particular track. As we continue sliding and testing, we're becoming aware of certain characteristics that may offer room for improvement in future equipment.