Great Britain ended the 2008/9 Skeleton World Cup series with two women in the top five of the world rankings when the series reached its climax in Park City, the USA tonight (Thursday).
Shelley Rudman finished the World Cup series in second place overall with team-mate Amy Williams in fifth after tonight’s eighth and final round of the World Cup - a year to the day from the start of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games.
It means they have both achieved their highest World Cup series finishes of their careers to date.
Rudman came eighth in tonight’s race while Williams came agonisingly close to a second medal of the World Cup campaign in fourth.
Rudman, Britain’s 2006 Olympic Winter Games silver medallist, arrived at the Park City track topping the World Cup leaderboard with two rounds of the competition remaining – but she also had to battle against the effects of a virus.
Germany’s Marion Trott spoilt the party, taking silver in round seven on Wednesday and gold in tonight’s final round to capture the overall World Cup title.
Rudman’s eighth on Wednesday and again tonight meant she couldn’t add the World Cup series title to the European Championship crown she won in St Moritz last month.
“A virus has wiped me out for the last few days, so considering that I’m really happy to have come second overall this season,” said Rudman. “I’ve been really happy with my technology programme and the support I’ve received from my sponsors this year.”
Williams meanwhile produced another strong performance in Park City, hot on the heels of her silver medal on the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games track last week.
The Bath-based slider came fourth tonight, a 10th of a second off the bronze medal position. It rounded off her best season yet on the World Cup circuit – a season that has seen her finish in the top-six in seven of the eight races.
“I’m a little disappointed because I’m still making some mistakes, but if I can make mistakes and still come fourth I should probably come away happy,” she said. “This season is definitely an improvement on last year and I know I can still improve, so I’m looking forward to the World Championships.”
The action now moves on to the World Championships in Lake Placid, where the skeleton races take place from Thursday 26 February through to Saturday 28 February.
Dr Andy Schmid, GB Performance Director, said: “I’m absolutely happy with two girls, they’ve done a great job. They’re both strong and fit, and I’m looking forward to their results at the World Championships.”
In the men’s races earlier in the day, Kristan Bromley was Britain’s highest placed finisher, coming joint 11th. Ant Sawyer came 16th and Andy Wood 17th.
It means Bromley ended the World Cup series ninth overall with Sawyer 13th, and Wood 20th.
Russia’s Alexander Tretiakov won his second race in successive days to ensure he claimed the 2008/9 Skeleton World Cup series title.
Women’s results from World Cup round 8
Gold: Marion Trott (GER) – 1:41.28
Silver: Katie Uhlaender (USA) – 1:41.59
Bronze: Melissa Hollingsworth (CAN) – 1:41.62
4th : AMY WILLIAMS (GBR) – 1:41.72
8th: SHELLEY RUDMAN (GBR) - 1:42.03
Women’s 2008/9 World Cup final positions
1st: Marion Trott (GER) – 1572 pts
2nd: SHELLEY RUDMAN (GBR) – 1468 pts
3rd: Katie Uhlaender (USA) – 1466pts
4th: Anja Huber (GER) – 1459 pts
5th: AMY WILLIAMS (GBR) – 1402 pts
Men’s results for World Cup round 8
Gold: Alexander Tretiakov (RUS) - 1:39.33
Silver: Florian Grassl (GER) – 1:39.40
Bronze: Frank Rommel (GER) – 1:39.56
Jt 11th: KRISTAN BROMLEY (GBR) – 1:40.28
16th: ANT SAWYER (GBR) – 1:40.60
17th: ANDY WOOD (GBR) – 1:40.75
Men’s 2008/9 World Cup final positions
1st: Alexander Tretiakov (RUS) -1526 points
2nd: Florian Grassl (GER) - 1453 points
3rd: Frank Rommel (GER) – 1436 points
9th: KRISTAN BROMLEY (GBR) – 1178 points
13th: ANT SAWYER (GBR) - 902 points
20th: ANDY WOOD (GBR) - 388 points
26th ADAM PENGILLY (GBR) - 288 points
Great Britain has an impressive track record in the sport of bob skeleton. British sliders have won medals at the last two Olympic Winter Games - Alex Coomber won bronze at the 2002 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City and Shelley Rudman won silver at the 2006 Games in Torino.
Britain’s Kristan Bromley dominated the 2007/8 season, completing a hat-trick by winning the World Championships, the World Cup series and the European Championships. Bromley also won the World Cup series in 2003/4 and the European Championships in the 2003/4 and 2004/5 season, while Rudman captured the European Championship title St Moritz in 2009.
