By Canadian Press

Prince Harry hits 99 km/h on skeleton sled in B.C., says ‘everybody should do it’

Feb 15, 2024 | 4:19 PM

WHISTLER, B.C. — Prince Harry has raced down one of the world’s fastest bobsled tracks in Whistler, B.C., reaching speeds of almost 100 kilometres per hour on a tiny skeleton sled.

Cowbells rang out as the prince finished his run, and when he was helped off the track, he took off his helmet and said with a smile that “everyone should do this, it should be compulsory.” 

Experienced sliders start at the top of the track, although the prince started at the halfway mark, and still his sled reached 99 kilometres per hour with a bumpy ending off the sides as he finished. 

Before Prince Harry got on the tiny slider he was given a safety briefing, while medics were standing by in case of an accident.

He and his wife Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, are on the mountain to visit Invictus Games athletes taking part in training camps and to promote the Games coming to Vancouver and Whistler next year. 

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The 2025 games will be the first to feature winter sports, including the skeleton, skiing events and wheelchair curling, but it will also host indoor rowing, sitting volleyball, swimming, wheelchair rugby and wheelchair basketball events as it has previously.

The prince founded the Games for wounded, injured or sick service personnel and veterans after he served in Afghanistan. 

American Ivan Morera, a single-arm amputee who was wounded in a combat zone in Afghanistan, is in Whistler for the training camp and says he is “very appreciative” to the prince for giving service members an opportunity to find purpose after injury.

He previously competed in rowing, seated volleyball, archery and field sports at the 2023 Games in Germany, which he says was an “incredible” experience. 

Though Morera still serves as an active-duty medic, he says he is attending the training camp this week with plans to compete next year in skeleton, nordic skiing and the biathlon.

“I’m continuously recovering from this injury, maybe not physically, but emotionally, mentally,” he said in an interview. “A big catastrophic event like that affects you, so adaptive sports is my way of dealing with that.”

Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025 will host about 500 competitors from 23 nations from Feb. 8 to 16, 2025.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 15, 2024.

The Canadian Press