Performance director Nigel Laughton insists Britain’s skeleton sliders are exactly where he wants them to be as they take a break before beginning in earnest their preparations for Sochi 2014.
Britain finished the season with three sliders in the top ten of the FIBT world rankings with Lizzy Yarnold and Shelley Rudman placing sixth and seventh respectively in the women’s standings.
Rudman’s partner Kristan Bromley also ranked seventh in the men’s with Britain once again qualifying three quota places for sliders in both genders for next year’s World Cup season.
Laughton states Rudman’s win at the World Championships in St Moritz as his highlight but has been equally impressed with the performances of the other members of the British team.
Rudman claimed Britain’s only gold medal during the World Cup season in Winterberg in December but Yarnold did collect silver and bronze medals before finishing fourth at the World Championships.
Dominic Parsons ended ninth on his World Championship debut in St Moritz while earlier in the season he won four medals including one gold on the Intercontinental Cup circuit.
Britain’s sliders also got a taste of the Olympic venue in Sochi during the final World Cup round of the season last weekend and will return to Russia for a training week in November.
They are currently enjoying a break before getting back together in mid-March with Laughton wholly satisfied with where Britain’s athletes are less than a year out from the Sochi 2014 Olympics.
“The last few weeks in Sochi has been a great learning experience for the entire squad and being in the Olympic environment will prove invaluable to both the athletes and staff,” said Laughton.
“The Sochi 2014 staff worked hard to give us a successful test event and we look forward to returning for more training at the beginning of next season, when we will have had time to review this experience.
“Throughout the season, results from both the World Cup and Intercontinental Cup have been good and we are pleased to reach our target of retaining the full quota of athletes on the World Cup squad for next year.
“Naturally, the highlight of the season has been Shelley’s recent World Championship win in St Moritz and I offer my congratulations to her.
“As a squad, we are in a great place and I’d like to thank the athletes, coaches and support staff at British Skeleton for their commitment this season.
“After a deserved, albeit short, break, summer training will commence in earnest and their collective professionalism and passion will drive them in pursuit of their personal and our collective goals in 2013/14.”
© Sportsbeat 2013