Snowflake partners with USA Bobsled/Skeleton for AI-powered edge
Snowflake has announced a partnership with USA Bobsled/Skeleton that will see its data and AI platform used to support athletes, enhance sled technology, and inform strategic decisions in the run-up to the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026.
The agreement establishes Snowflake as the Official Data Cloud Provider for USA Bobsled/Skeleton (USABS), aligning the organisation with a team aiming to build on its established competitive record as it prepares for upcoming international competition.
Shared values
According to Curt Tomasevicz, U.S. Olympic gold medallist and Director of Sport Performance for USABS, the connection between the two organisations is rooted in common values.
"Grit, resilience, and excellence are the hallmarks of our athletes, and we see those same values in Snowflake's DNA. We are thrilled to join forces with Snowflake because they understand that the path to excellence is paved with data intelligence. By unifying our data and making it easy for everyone to harness its insights through AI with Snowflake Intelligence, we can equip our trainers, coaches, and athletes with the crucial insights that allow us to unlock a measurable advantage on the ice."
The collaboration arrives as USABS seeks to secure peak performance in disciplines where fractions of a second can determine outcomes. Data analysis and artificial intelligence are intended to provide the USABS staff and athletes with granular insights into both athlete technique and equipment optimisation.
On-track applications
The Snowflake AI Data Cloud will be leveraged in a number of ways intended to benefit the bobsled and skeleton teams. The partnership is expected to enhance athlete support, sled technology, and decision-making strategies.
Specifically, USABS will have access to real-time data and the ability to use AI-driven analytics to improve performance in a number of areas:
- Optimising push combinations: The performance of two- and four-person crews will be analysed to identify the most efficient pairings and pushing techniques.
- Deconstructing the start: By examining precise velocity and acceleration data during the critical start phase, the team can correct inefficiencies, including disturbances like the "bump" during the jump-in phase.
- Driving insights for medals: Coaches will be able to access rapid data analysis to make real-time micro-adjustments to athlete training and technique.
Snowflake Intelligence, currently in public preview, is described as an enterprise intelligence agent capable of answering complex questions in natural language, offering users a simplified means to interact with sophisticated data sets.
Technology perspective
Denise Persson, Chief Marketing Officer at Snowflake, commented on the relevance of data and AI for performance in high-speed, high-precision sports settings.
"At Snowflake, we understand that speed and precision are critical, whether you're deriving insights from petabytes of data or navigating an icy track at 90 miles per hour. Snowflake Intelligence is the Ice Meister for an organization's data. Just as no pilot can win on a flawed track, no team can gain a competitive edge without a flawless data foundation. We're proud to partner with USABS to help them optimize every element of their preparation and strategy with our cutting-edge technology."
This partnership with USABS comes in the context of Snowflake's broader involvement with sports data, including a three-year agreement as the Official Data Collaboration Provider for Team USA and the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games, aimed at delivering data-driven improvements to sports performance and event operations.
USABS is the national governing body for bobsled and skeleton, organising athlete development from grassroots to elite levels, and now adds advanced data analytics to its preparation for the next Olympic cycle.
