She might be a skeleton slider and not a figure skater but Lizzy Yarnold wants to perfect her dance with the ice as she gears up for the start of the World Cup season.
Yarnold is one of three British females that will line up in Calgary for the first of eight World Cup races at seven venues before the Olympics in Sochi in February.
Seven of the eight come before the qualifying cut off date on January 19 with Yarnold in a great position to earn selection for her maiden Games in Russia.
With reigning world champion Shelley Rudman pre-selected, Yarnold won the World Cup selection races in Altenberg with Donna Creighton second to form the trio.
And, about to enter her second full season on the World Cup circuit, the 25-year-old admits she’ll be using the races as practice for the Olympics in Sochi.
“There’s a lot of training to do between now and Sochi but I can’t wait to get back on the ice and start the World Cup season,” said Yarnold.
“I want to get some consistent results and test out the equipment as much as I can and do as much practise as possible so when I get to Sochi I’m ready to race.
“This is my second year at the World Cup. I’m not the rookie any more so I can start really playing round and enjoying sliding and seeing what the tracks are doing themselves and learning from them.
“I want to dance with the ice rather than be trying to fight it as much. I’m just trying to enjoy myself and get some great results under my belt.”
Yarnold rents a flat off Amy Williams, who won the women’s skeleton title and Britain’s first individual Winter Olympic gold medal for 30 years at Vancouver 2010.
She’s now retired but will be in Sochi as a Team GB Ambassador although Yarnold is out to get advice from Olympians across all sports, not just skeleton.
"All Olympians that I meet I try and get tips from and I especially try and learn from Amy," said Yarnold.
"I trained with her for about a year to a year and a half and just to know she's such a grinder every day in the gym working so hard makes it real for me that I can do it as well."
© Sportsbeat 2013