In-form British skeleton slider Lizzy Yarnold will return to action this week as the World Cup tour restarts in Winterberg in Germany after a break for Christmas and New Year.
Yarnold is currently one of the favourites for a medal at the Olympic Winter Games in Sochi in February, such has been her World Cup so far, and she hasn’t even been selected yet.
The 25-year-old arrives in Winterberg wearing the World Cup leaders’ yellow jersey having not finished off the podium in the first four races this season.
She has two wins, a second and third to her name with British teammate Shelley Rudman in second overall despite not finishing in the top three once this term.
The British duo will be joined on the World Cup circuit in Winterberg by Rose McGrandle for the first time this season while there is much expected from John Jackson at the venue too.
Still not riding with a pain-free Achilles, he will make his first appearance since claiming an historic World Cup silver in Lake Placid last time out and it’s a double race for his four-man crew.
Elsewhere, it is a vital week for Britain’s freestyle skiers in Calgary while the biathlon, luge and Nordic combined World Cups return from their own breaks for Christmas and New Year.
Alpine skiing’s World Cup continues with Bormio hosting the cancelled Zagreb slaloms while cross-country skiing’s Tour de Ski comes to a conclusion.
Ski jumping’s prestigious Four Hills Tournament also nears its end while the women get back up and running in World Cup action in Chaikovsky in Russia.
Alpine Skiing
World Cup, Bormio, January 5
Biathlon
World Cup, Oberhof, January 3-5
Bobsleigh
World Cup, Winterberg, January 3-5
Cross Country Skiing
Tour de Ski, Lenzerheide, December 31-January 1
Tour de Ski, Cortina-Toblach, January 3
Tour de Ski, Val di Fiemme, January 4-5
Freestyle Skiing
World Cup, Calgary, January 3-4
Luge
World Cup, Koenigssee, January 4-5
Nordic Combined
World Cup, Chaikovsky, January 4-5
Skeleton
World Cup, Winterberg, January 3-4
Ski Jumping
Four Hills Tournament, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, January 1
Four Hills Tournament, Innsbruck, January 4
World Cup, Chaikovsky, January 3-4
© Sportsbeat 2013