Olympic skeleton champion Lizzy Yarnold is relishing her return to the ice in Lake Placid this week and insists it’s her time to shine after some positive performances from her British teammates already this season.
Yarnold earned pre-selection for this season’s World Cup tour, which begins in the 1980 Winter Olympic venue of Lake Placid this weekend, after dominating her way to the overall title last term.
The 26-year-old finished on the podium in all but one of the eight races last term, including four wins, and then proceeded to dictate the Olympic skeleton competition to maintain Britain’s firm grip on the women’s title.
Yarnold will be expected to deliver once again this season and is joined on Britain’s World Cup squad by fellow Sochi 2014 Olympian Dominic Parsons as well as Laura Deas, Rose McGrandle and Ed Smith.
Parsons and Deas earned their places through the British selections races in Winterberg last month while McGrandle and Smith were called up following the first three Intercontinental Cup races of the season.
McGrandle recorded three podium finishes in three races while Smith was consistent throughout, claiming a best of fifth in the first race in Lillehammer – and now Yarnold wants a piece of the action.
“Having seen all of the excellent race results for the Europa Cup and Intercontinental Cup over the past few weeks I can’t wait to start competing myself,” she said.
“I love the track in Lake Placid; it’s a tough track and always a great start to the World Cup. Last year I had two podium finishes there so I’m hoping to be just as successful this year and I’ll be working hard all week to try and achieve it.”
© Sportsbeat 2014