With the new skeleton season fast approaching, David Swift intends to draw on all his experience to hit the ground running.
The end of next month sees the first World Cup event of the season in Altenberg, Germany, with the best sliders starting the countdown towards February’s World Championships.
Before then, however, much is still to be decided in the British camp – not least who will be on the World Cup and Intercontinental Cup squads.
Swift certainly knows the importance of making the grade, having seen his hopes of appearing at an Olympics put on ice when he missed out on the team for Sochi 2014.
Last season also started in slow fashion with the 30-year-old competing on the Intercontinental Cup circuit – the second level of international competition.
However, he slowly built up a head of steam, eventually taking the title in January before being invited onto the World Cup scene and then making his World Championships bow where he finished 22nd.
And on the eve of a new campaign, Swift knows he needs to maintain his momentum this season.
“Consistently last year I was in the top four, top five in the world, it is the drive and the mental aspect which I think I personally struggle with,” he said.
“It was the selection race and the first couple of races that put me on the back foot in previous years.
“There are lots of things to practice in the next two of years leading up to 2018 and fingers crossed I can do well and get there.
“First and foremost it is about qualifying for the World Championships; it is about getting these eight races ticked off and getting all the processes right and the results to actually get me there.
“If I do that, then I am pretty confident I can do well."
With four-time Olympian Kristan Bromley hanging up his sled over the summer, it means Swift is now the oldest member in the male set up, ahead of Dom Parsons and Ed Smith.
Olympic champion Lizzy Yarnold’s decision to take a year off has also left Great Britain further short of experience.
But Swift, who has his eyes on the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, insists there is plenty of reason for optimism.
“There is glimpses of what we are capable of, in terms of where our coaching, equipment and ability wise, all of our push starts have came in the top five, top six in the world,” he added.
“There is a lot of strength in depth in terms on the men coming through in the couple of years in terms of 2018 and beyond.
“I am actually the oldest guy in the programme now, so in terms of experience I think I am in a really good place.
“Dom had a great result at his first Olympics and he will more than likely lead the charge for us for the next couple of years.
“Ed and I would like to be hot on his heels but I think we are getting there, my best result was I came seventh at the World Cup last year.”
Sportsbeat 2015