Bromley, the 2008 World Champion known as Dr Ice, is placed just off the podium positions after today's opening day of skeleton sliding in Konigssee, Germany.

Team-mates Chris Type and Andy Wood, who are both competing at their first World Championships, are in 14th and 16th respectively after the first two of four runs.

Bromley, a three–times Olympian and currently ranked 12th in the world, produced two consistent runs and was fifth after the first run with a time 51.48sec.

His 51.23 on the next run was the sixth fastest second run but was good enough to keep him in fifth overall.

Type climbed from 16th to 14th on the second run, with Wood climbing from 18th to 16th.

Latvia's Martins Dukurs continues his domination of a season that has already seen him capture the World Cup and European Championships, and he now has a 0.57-second lead over the field at the halfway mark at the World Championships,

Andi Schmid, British Skeleton performance director, said: "Martins Dukurs has a big lead, but it's quite close between numbers two and six, so a lot could happen tomorrow.

"It's a good result for Kristan so far, let's see what's possible tomorrow.

"Chris and Andy are both competing at their first World Championships.

"They might be able to get into the top 10 but that will be quite tough.

"If they can finish in the top-12 it would be a good result."

The men's competition concludes with two runs tomorrow, when the women also get their campaign under way with the first two of four runs.

Shelley Rudman, Turin 2006 Olympic Winter Games silver medallist and ranked two in the world, and world number six Donna Creighton, go for Britain in the women's competition, which reaches its climax on Saturday (February 26).