Rudman heads British team for skeleton World Championships

By Tom Degun

January 27 - Reigning World Cup champion Shelley Rudman is set to lead the six-strong British team at the FIBT Skeleton World Championships in St. Moritz after a full quota of the male and three female athletes qualified for the event.

The competition will take place from January 30 to February 2 while it makes the second year in succession that a team of six sliders from British Skeleton have qualified for the Championships.

It is a major boost for Britain just over a year out from Sochi 2014 Winter Olympic Games and Rudman admitted she is excited by the challenge ahead.

"St Moritz is one of my favourite tracks and I've had some good results here in World Cup events over recent seasons including a win here two years ago," said the 31-year-old from Wiltshire, an Olympic silver medallist at Turin 2006.

"I'm hoping that 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"

Rudman is joined on the British women's team by last year's bronze medallist and 2012 World junior champion Lizzy Yarnold as well as Donna Creighton, who will taking part in her third World Championships.

In the men's event, Britain's most successful male slider Kristan Bromley will be competing in his 15th World Championships alongside Ed Smith, competing at the event for the second time, and Dominic Parsons, who will be making his debut at the event.