Count Renaud de la Frégeolière

Who was Count Renaud de la Frégeolière?

Count Renaud de la Frégeolière was a French author who became the first president of the Fédération Internationale de Bobsleigh et de Tobogganing, serving from 1923 to 1960.

Frégeolière made his first bobsleigh descent at Leysin, Switzerland in 1907 which led him to an early career in the sport. Six years later, he co-authored a book with Jules Magnus, founder of the International Ice Hockey Federation, on the Winter Games. Frégeolière developed rules and brought together various bobsleigh clubs in Europe which led to the formation of the FIBT in 1923. He had hoped to compete at the bobsleigh event at the track helped construct for the 1924 Winter Olympics in Chamonix, but a training injury prevented this.

Frégeolière judged fifty FIBT World Championships, including ten bobsleigh Winter Olympics between 1924 to his 1960 retirement. He also presided over 29 FIBT Congresses.

After his 1960 retirement, Frégeolière was named FIBT Honorary President which he held until his 1981 death.

He wrote Les sports d'hiver with Louis Magnus in 1911.