SWITZERLAND – JANUARY 15: Shinsuke Tayama of Japan tries to gain control of his sled during the Men’s FIBT Skeleton World Cup Round 7 at the Olympic Bobrun on January 15, 2010 in St Moritz, Switzerland. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)

I slide at dawn….

With the 2010 Winter Olympics less than a month away now it’s time to sharpen up those winter sport skills that get put away for most of the year (not photographic skills, but the ability to romp around hilly venues wearing multiple layers of clothes to keep warm and not ending up in a waist deep snow drift).

As I will be based at the Whistler Sliding Center during the games, I find myself in Europe’s uber ski resort of St. Moritz for the 7th round of the FIBT Skeleton/Bobsleigh World Cup. Skeleton, or insane athletes sliding head first down a bob track on a tea tray, is fast becoming one of Great Britain’s serious medal hopes at the Olympics. Shelley Rudman who got Silver in Torino 2006 and Kristian Bromley who has won the World Cup series in recent years are up there again this season and nearly made for a very special double win on the Olympia-Bobrun at St. Moritz as the pair have a 2yr old child together.

Rudman came from behind to put in a 2009/2010 track record in the second run to pinch her second victory in this World Cup season. Bromley set the quickest time in the first run, but problems with the ice and several competitors struggling to keep their sleds under control at the start (great for pictures) meant the run was cancelled, and the event reduced to a single run shoot out where Kristian again set a very quick pace, only to be just pipped to the top spot by Eric Bernotas of the USA.

Bobsledding takes over now for the remaining days of this world cup meet, and I’m looking forward to getting some great images and ideas I can work on to put into place for Vancouver to bring our clients the best imagery possible. Stay tuned!

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