Sanka (film)

Sanka is a fictional bobsled used in the 1993 Disney sports comedy film, Cool Runnings. The film is loosely based on the true story of the Jamaica national bobsleigh team's debut at the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

In the film, Sanka is the name given to the team's initial, makeshift bobsled. It is depicted as a heavily modified soapbox derby car that the team members construct using available materials, including a bathtub and metal scraps. It is significantly less sophisticated and aerodynamic than the professional bobsleds used by other teams.

The name Sanka is a reference to the decaffeinated coffee brand of the same name, popular in the United States and other parts of the world. In the film, the bobsled's name serves as a comedic element, highlighting the team's underdog status and improvisational approach to bobsledding. It suggests a lack of speed or seriousness compared to the more established teams.

The subsequent, competition-ready bobsled used by the Jamaican team in the film is acquired after a stroke of luck and is not called Sanka. Therefore, the name is specifically associated with the team's early, amateur attempts at the sport.