Olympic champion Lizzy Yarnold heads up an 11-strong British Skeleton team who will return to the ice for the first time since Sochi 2014 for pre-season training at Lillehammer.
The squad, which also includes Dominic Parsons who finished tenth in the men’s skeleton in Sochi, will travel out to Norway later this week for the 12-day camp ahead of the coming season.
Yarnold, winner of Team GB’s first gold medal of Sochi 2014 when she stormed to victory at the Sanki Sliding Center, attends the camp as a pre-selected member of British Skeleton’s World Cup squad for this season.
It comes following her achievements last year which included not only Olympic gold but a British best seven podium finishes on the way to the 2013-2014 World Cup title and means she will not be required to take part in Great Britain’s World Cup selection races in Winterberg, Germany on November 6 and 7.
Also included in the training camp squad are David Swift, Donna Creighton, Ed Smith, Jack Thomas, James Howard, Jeremy Rice, Kenny Howard, Laura Deas and Ross McGrandle with all four squads – World Cup, Intercontinental Cup, Europa Cup and Talent Squad – represented.
Notable absentees are current World Champion Shelley Rudman who is expecting her second child and will miss the 2014/2015 season while her husband Kristan Bromley is expected to miss the early part of the season as he continues his rehabilitation from injury.
Head of technical development & head ice coach Andi Schmid said: “There will be good temperatures and good conditions on the ice at this time of year in Norway, so it’s a good opportunity for the athletes to get used to sliding again without the pressure of competition, and to get used to the new coaching styles.
“It is important for the coaches to be starting the new [Olympic] cycle together and to begin their working relationships. This is a good chance for the coaches and athletes to start communicating with each other to develop this consistent coaching style across all four squads."
© Sportsbeat 2014