SKELETON BOB: Cup dream comes true
9:00am Friday 17th February 2012 in Latest Sport News By Owen Houlihan
Shelley Rudman
SHELLEY Rudman says a weight has been lifted from her shoulders after she was crowned women’s skeleton World Cup champion for the first time.
The 30-year-old from Pewsey lifted the crown she had coveted since starting the sport back in 2002, defying a back injury to finish joint third in the final round of the eight-race season in Calgary, Canada.
Rudman had finished runner-up in the series for the previous three seasons but finally emulated fiance Kristan Bromley, who was men’s World Cup champion in 2004 and 2008.
The mum of one, who was on the podium in five of this season’s races, told the Gazette & Herald: “For me the overall World Cup title is the hardest to get and, within the sport, the most prestigious title.
“You have to be consistent and pretty much on the podium for the whole season and mentally that can be really challenging over a period of four or five months.
“It’s amazing. It’s a goal I've been after for so many years and to finally achieve it feels as though a weight has been lifted from my shoulders. I always wanted to achieve as much as I could in skeleton, and I feel so proud of what I have achieved to date.
“I’ve had amazing support from family and friends and it goes such a long way. I’m away competing for more than five months on the road and it's always nice to hear from everyone back home.
“A big thank you to everyone who has been sending lovely messages and supporting me over the years, especially my mum and dad (Josie and Jack), family, Pewsey Hasbeens, the Gazette & Herald and everyone else in the area.’’
Previous campaigns had seen the Sheffield-based slider dogged by bad luck, including last season when she was struck down by illness before the last race with the title up for grabs.
And her win this time was not without incident as she suffered a back injury while lifting her sled out of a car during official practice.
She said: “Luckily Kristan came out and drove me straight to the team physio and she managed to release my back a little.
“It really hurt for the push start of the Calgary race, but I put it to the back of my mind until the race was finished.’’
Rudman ends her season at the World Championships in Lake Placid, America, next week, another event that could prove crucial to her build-up to the Winter Olympics in Sochi in 2014.
The 2006 Olympic silver medallist added: “Unfortunately the World Championships is the only event on which your funding is dependent. For me to increase my Lottery funding I need a top three result.
“I am still trying to secure a sponsor, to help with the extra training trips I need prior to the start of the (next) season.
“Anything can happen on the road to Sochi 2014 and it’s very important to remember that.
“Any athlete can suffer an injury or illness at any time or go off form very quickly, so you can never say you’re there until you've pretty much finished the race.’’
