Britain’s Shelley Rudman today (Friday) won the European Bob Skeleton Championships – despite racing with a broken finger she sustained in training two days ago.
Rudman, who is in her first full season back in World Cup action following the birth of her daughter, won the European title at the St Moritz track in Switzerland.
The result also means the 27-year-old, who won silver for Great Britain at the Torino 2006 Winter Olympic Games, now tops the World Cup rankings for the 2008/9 season.
Rudman went into today’s race with a broken finger in her left hand that she sustained in training at the track on Wednesday.
But she produced two terrific performances – she was second after the first run a tenth of a second behind Canada’s Melissa Hollingsworth, but then broke the track record with a time of 1:09.97 on her second run to claim gold.
“I was really good in my first day’s training here, but I broke my finger on the second day,” said Rudman. “I had thought I could maybe make the podium, but after that I didn’t know how I was going to be able to push today.
“My finger was still a bit painful today, but it went well,” she added. “Everything is coming together really well this season and I’m really happy.”
Today’s race was the fifth round of the 2008/9 World Cup and also doubled as the European Championships, with the top European finisher taking the title.
It is Rudman’s first European crown and her third medal of the five World Cup races so far this season – she took gold at the Igls track in Austria in December, silver in Konigssee in Germany earlier this month, and now gold in St Moritz.
“Shelley’s performance was absolutely phenomenal,” said Andy Schmid, GB performance director. “I didn’t think she’d be able push so hard with a broken finger.”
Amy Williams, Britain’s other woman competing on the World Cup circuit, remains in the top-five in the World Cup overall after finishing 17th in St Moritz today. That gave her eighth place in the European Championships.
The action now moves to the Canada, with the test event for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games at the Whistler Sliding Center.
The British Bob Skeleton Association is based at the University of Bath.
World Cup results from St Moritz Gold: SHELLEY RUDMAN (GBR) - 2:20.50 Silver: Melissa Hollingsworth (CAN) - 2:20.59 Bronze: Michelle Kelly (CAN) – 2:21.68 17th: AMY WILLIAMS (GBR) – 2:25.70
European Championship positions Gold: SHELLEY RUDMAN (GBR) - 2:20.50 Silver: Marion Trott (GER) – 2:21.69 Bronze: Maya Pederson (SUI) – 2:22.62 8th: AMY WILLIAMS (GBR) – 2:25.70
World Cup rankings after 5 of 8 rounds 1st: SHELLEY RUDMAN – 972 points 2nd: Anja Huber (GER) – 931 points 3rd: Marion Trott (GER) – 912 points 5th: AMY WILLIAMS (GBR) – 824 points
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