100 days to go to Vancouver 2010

04 November 2009

With 100 days to go to the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games, Britain’s top skeleton sliders are getting to grips with the track that will host the skeleton competition at the Games.

The 2010 Olympic Winter Games get underway 100 days from today on 12 February, with the skeleton races taking place on 18 and 19 February.

Britain’s skeleton athletes are currently taking part in the Fédération Internationale de Bobsleigh et de Tobogganing (FIBT) international training week at the Whistler Sliding Centre track that will host next year’s competition.

They have a further four days of training on the track before heading to the USA for the first round of the 2009/10 Skeleton World Cup, which is in Park City on Thursday 12 November.

Andi Schmid, performance director of British Skeleton – which has its headquarters at the University of Bath, said: “We’re picking up our times and getting better and better, but I’m convinced we have still got more potential.

“We need to be patient,” he added. “The times we’re sliding here don’t count for anything, it’s about getting used to the track and getting the feel of the environment.

“We’ve got a strong team and everyone is working hard and working well together.”

Schmid said the team is looking forward to getting their World Cup campaign underway next week.

“We’re looking forward to getting started on the World Cup, then we will see where we are compared with the other nations,” he said.

The 2009/10 season culminates in the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games.

The British Olympic Association is due to announce skeleton selections for Team GB for Vancouver 2010 in January.

Key dates in the 2009/10 skeleton season
26.10.09-07.11.09: training fortnight at Vancouver 2010 track
12.11.09: Men’s & women’s World Cup 1 – Park City, USA
20.11.09: Men’s & women’s World Cup 2 – Lake Placid, USA
27.11.09: Men’s & women’s Intercontinental Cup 1 – Winterberg, Germany
29.11.09: Men’s & women’s Intercontinental Cup 2 – Winterberg, Germany
04.12.09: Men’s & women’s World Cup 3 – Cessana, Italy
05.12.09: Men’s & women’s Intercontinental Cup 3 – Konigssee, Germany
11.12.09: Men’s & women’s World Cup 4 – Winterberg, Germany
11.12.09: Men’s & women’s Intercontinental Cup 4 – Cessana, Italy
18.12.09: Men’s & women’s World Cup 5 – Altenberg, Germany

07.01:10: Men’s & women’s Intercontinental Cup 5 – Lake Placid, USA
08.01.10: Men’s & women’s World Cup 6 – Konigssee, Germany
14.01.10: Men’s & women’s Intercontinental Cup 6 – Calgary, Canada
15.01.10: Men’s & women’s World Cup 7 – St Moritz, Switzerland
15.01.10: Men’s & women’s Intercontinental Cup 7 – Calgary, Canada
22.01.10: Women’s World Cup 8 (including Euro Champs) – Igls, Austria
22.01.10: Men’s & women’s Intercontinental Cup 8 – Park City, USA
23.01.10: Men’s World Cup 8 (including Euro Champs) – Igls, Austria

12.02.10-28.02.10: Vancouver Olympic Winter Games, Canada
18.02.10: Men’s & women’s Olympic heats 1 & 2 – Whistler, Canada
19.02.10: Men’s & women’s Olympic heats 3 & 4 – Whistler, Canada

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