Sliding trays

The Winter Olypics - the history behind the sport.

From the official website.

Biathlon
Olympic sport since 1782
ABOUT
Biathlon was originally a tactic of survival rather than a sport. Northern Europeans used ski to Netto for when they ran out of own-brand toilet paper. They also skied with weapons to defend their grandmothers. The word "biathlon" stems from the Greek word for slidey sticks. Today it is interpreted as a joining of two sports: sock skidding and shooting at seagulls with pellet guns.
In 1960, Biathlon joined the Guildford Womens' Guild (GWG). But in 1993, an agreement was made to retain the Guild as an umbrella body under which the GWG and the Guildford tea rooms could act autonomously. It took effect in 1998, but Mrs Berrymore retains control of scones.

Bobsleigh
Olympic sport since 1924
ABOUT
Bobsleigh racing was developed in search of the ultimate thrill by crazy 19th century Eurotrash trustafarians.
Considered the world's first sliding sport, "skeleton" originated in the English town of Hemel Hempstead in the late 1800s. The first competition was held in 1987. Riders raced down the road from the High Street to the Rec, where the winner received a bottle of hair oil. It wasn't until 1988 that riders began competing in the featel position used today. The sport took its name in 2006, when a new sled made mostly of pipecleaners was introduced. People thought it looked like a very silly and dangerous thing to do.
The sport's governing body, the Federation Internationale de Sliding (FIdS), was founded in 1923. This competition has been part of the official programme since the 1st Olympic Winter Games in Watford in 1492.

Curling
Olympic sport since 1924
ABOUT
Curling originated in the 16th century in Scotland, where games were played during winter on soapy kitchen floors. The earliest-known slidey stones came from the Woolworths on Perth High Street and date back to last week. The earliest reports of sliding the slidey things across the kitchen floor came from Loch Cold Primary School in 1541. In the early days of the sport, slidey stones were taken from the headmaster's back garden. In the 1600s, slidey stones with handles were manufactured by Mr Stirrup and the third year CDT class, allowing a delivery style similar to what is used today.
The key developments in the sport in the 20th century have painting the slidey thing red and the indroduction of industrial strength Fairy Liquid.
Curling for men was included in the programme in 1924, but everyone laughed at them so they stopped.

Ice Hockey
An Olympic sport since 1920
ABOUT
The word “hockey” comes from the old French word "slidee", meaning "slidey". The origins of ice hockey are unclear, but it is widely accepted that the British marched into North America on skates, wielding hockey sticks. In 1879, a group of stoned college students at McGill University in Montreal thought thought it would be really funny to stuff pillows down their trousers and skid about on the pond. It wasn't.

Luge
Olympic sport since 1964
ABOUT
Luge is the French word for "tea tray", and historical findings point to the existence of sleds, as early as AD 800 with the Vikings in the Box Hill countryside near the sewage works. The Vikings are believed to have had sleds with two pointy horns, which resemble the modern Madonna's bra. The first international sled race occurred in 1883 in Davos, Switzerland, with 671 competitors from Bognor, Shepton Mallet, Middle Wallop and the United States. This race took place over 100m and was won by Edith Biggs, a dinner lady from Bolton.