Skeleton bob star Rudman closes gap in bid for World Cup title
World Cup: Shelley Rudman slides towards glory in Whistler, Canada. Photo: AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Jonathan Hayward.
SHEFFIELD skeleton bobsleigh star Shelley Rudman’s was celebrating a podium place today after closing the gap in a bid for her first World Cup title.
That will now be decided next week in Calgary - after she claimed third place in the penultimate round of the series in Canada.
Rudman, aged 30, finished third in round seven in Whistler to bring her just seven points from series leader Marion Thees, of Germany, who was fifth.
Home girl Mellissa Hollingsworth won, with Australia’s Lucy Katherine Chaffer second, followed by Rudman, who has been runner-up in the World Cup series for the past three years.
With just a round to go it is a major boost for Rudman, who reminded Twitter followers of her struggles with the Whistler track, which also staged the 2010 Winter Olympics.
She said: “A bronze medal for me today. Very happy considering this is my least favourite track on the circuit.’’
Rudman, who is now living in Sheffield, shot to fame at the 2006 winter Olympics in Turin, Italy by winning the silver medal in the skeleton bobsleigh event. The medal was the first and only medal to be won at the Games by a GBR athlete.
Results:
1 Mellisa HOLLINGSWORTH CAN 1:49.79
2 Lucy Katherine CHAFFER AUS 1:49.96
3 Shelley RUDMAN GBR 1:50.36
4 Anja HUBER GER 1:50.40
5 Marion THEES GER 1:50.52
6 Sarah REID CAN 1:50.55
7 Amy GOUGH CAN 1:50.60
8 Katharina HEINZ GER 1:51.06
9 Anne O’SHEA USA 1:51.13
9 Elizabeth YARNOLD GBR 1:51.13
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Friday 25 May 2012
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