Six of the best slide into action at World Championships

A six-strong British Skeleton squad are looking to lay down a marker ahead of next year’s Winter Olympics by winning medals at this week’s World Championships.

Britain has named a full compliment of sliders for the second global event running, with up-and-coming star Lizzy Yarnold looking to add to the breakthrough bronze she won in 2012.

“I’m hoping I can improve on that result here in St Moritz,” said the 24-year-old, who is also the reigning world junior champion.

“It’s a track that I enjoy coming to and racing on, and I’m hoping that this will work to my advantage in this week’s competition.”

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Yarnold showed she had the pace when she was ranked as the second-quickest slider in the combined skeleton and bobsleigh team event earlier this week.

Also confident of challenging is 2006 Olympic silver-medalist Shelley Rudman, who has fond memories of St Moritz.

“It is one of my favourite tracks and I’ve had some good results here in World Cup events over recent seasons, including a win two years ago,” she said.

“I’m hoping I can use that experience and result to finish on the podium. It would be a great way to set myself up for the next 12 months through to Sochi.”

Completing the women’s trio is Donna Creighton, who said: “This is my third World Championships and I’m hoping to improve on the results in the previous races, where I finished outside of the top ten.

“It would be good to medal this time around, and that is my aim, but we’ll have to wait and see what happens.”

The British men’s team will be made up of the experienced Kristan Bromley and Bath-based duo Ed Smith and Dominic Parsons.

Like Yarnold last year, Parsons started the season on the Intercontinental Cup circuit but has been promoted following a series of podium placings.

“This is my first World Championships and I’m delighted that I’ve been selected,” said the 25-year-old.

“I have set myself a goal of winning here in St Moritz but I would be happy to be on the podium at the end of the race as I’ve not competed over four runs before.”

The women’s competition started this morning, followed by the men’s tomorrow. British Skeleton is based at the University of Bath.