Shelley Rudman is poised to be crowned world skeleton champion after opening up a commanding one-second advantage over her rivals after the first two runs of the World Championships in St Moritz.
Rudman, an Olympic silver medallist, rose to the occasion to finish fastest on both runs, extending her lead to exactly a second over American Noelle Pikus-Pace, with fellow Briton Lizzy Yarnold in third.
Rudman, who will go for her first world title when the event concludes on Friday, told Eurosport: "I think there is always room for improvement. I will be having a look back at some of the curves I didn't think went so well."