November 1, 2026
The national governing body announced its plans on Wednesday after signing a partnership agreement with Utah-based companies to apply advances and materials from the defence industry to athletes' equipment.
USA Bobsled has inked a deal with 47G, Albany Engineered Composites, Hexcel and Nammo Composite Solutions. The agreement was announced at 47G's annual Zero Gravity Summit, held as part of Hard Tech Week in Salt Lake City. In sports where thousandths of a second can make the difference between reaching the podium and missing out, the battle to shave off time becomes a race for success.
Few disciplines are as dependent on equipment as bobsleigh, where a sled's weight, strength, aerodynamics and design can determine the outcome of every run. The partnership should give USABS athletes access to the same advanced materials and engineering expertise that these companies use to manufacture aircraft, missiles and unmanned systems designed to operate in some of the world's most demanding environments. "Our athletes give everything they have to find those hundredths of a second, and they deserve equipment that matches their commitment," said Aron McGuire, CEO of USA Bobsled/Skeleton.
The USA Bobsled team during the Milano-Cortina Games.
Franck Fife/GETTY IMAGES
Speaking at the announcement, McGuire highlighted how the partnerships would bring together teams of leading engineers and manufacturers to "give our athletes a real competitive edge" ahead of the 2034 Winter Games. Each partner will play a specific role in the project. Albany Engineered Composites will work with USABS to manufacture next-generation composite cowlings for the team's four-man sleds, while Nammo will produce carbon-fibre cowlings for the two-man sleds. Hexcel will contribute its expertise in advanced composite materials.
Meanwhile, 47G, Utah's organisation representing deep-tech, aerospace and defence companies, brought the partners together. "Advanced composite technology has helped transform aerospace by enabling engineers to design components that are strong, lightweight and capable of performing in some of the most demanding environments," said Jeff Daniel, vice-president of the commercial segment at Albany Engineered Composites. For Daniel, applying the knowledge gained in the aerospace industry to a completely different field represents an 'exciting opportunity'.
USABS athletes already train and compete at Utah Olympic Park in Park City. Now, the companies that will help manufacture their sleds are also based in the same state, allowing athletes, coaches and engineers to work closely together as the team prepares to compete on home ice.
"Every detail of the sled matters when you are pushing at the start and steering down the track," said Kaysha Love, a two-time USA Bobsled Olympian and the 2025 women's monobob world champion. The athlete admitted that knowing "some of the best engineers in aerospace are working on our equipment" gives her confidence, allowing the athletes to focus on their training while the engineers work to make them faster. "Partnerships like this are a great reminder that innovation can come from unexpected places," said Lyndon Smith, president of the Americas and Global Fibres at Hexcel.
For its part, 47G highlighted the lasting legacy the partnership could create by extending beyond the hosting of sporting competitions. "Utah has spent decades building an ecosystem where advanced manufacturing, aerospace, research and entrepreneurship intersect," said Aaron Starks, president and CEO of 47G. He believes that in 2034 Utah will have the opportunity not only to welcome the world's best athletes, but also to "showcase the technologies, companies and talent helping shape the future of performance and innovation".
