British short track speed skating performance director Stuart Horsepool wants his team to take in everything on offer as the World Cup circuit moves to the 2014 Winter Olympic host city of Sochi.
Britain will have seven skaters in action at the penultimate World Cup round in the Iceberg Skating Palace fresh from winning four medals at the European Championships in Malmo.
Elise Christie, who won 1000m and 1500m gold for overall silver at the Europeans, will bid to maintain her overall World Cup lead in the former distance in Sochi.
Jon Eley, Paul Stanley and Charlotte Gilmartin, who won European 1500m bronze two weeks ago, will also be looking to build on the top-eight finishes they have secured this season.
And Horsepool insists getting to know the ins and out of the Iceberg Skating Palace in Sochi will be vital ahead of the Winter Olympics in the same venue in just over a year’s time.
He said: “This World Cup is another chance for the skaters to build and develop their race skills and being in at the 2014 Olympic venue is important for them so that they to get to know the ice and venues before the Games next year.”
And Richard Shoebridge, another British skater who will be in Russia, admits he cannot wait for the competition to get going.
He said: “It’s great to be able to check out the Olympic venues, and the ice is getting better every day that we are here, so that’s definitely positive. I’m really looking forward to racing here this weekend.”
© Sportsbeat 2013