ICC 2, Winterberg Nov 2009

16th – an absolutely awful result! And there is no definitive reason – I didn’t crash, or push out the spur; my sled is ok I think (still need to check?!) and my push was ok! Sometimes it’s just not there. In Skeleton I think it means I’m not letting it run! There was a great sports psychology TV programme called ‘Loosing It’ – a case in study was the javelin thrower Steve Backley who should have qualified in the World Champs, (I think it was?) by matter of course, but in his words he “just couldn’t hear the music”. A few weeks later he set a World Record! He was the same athlete and couldn’t change physically in that time – it was all in the head and letting his mind communicate the right rhythm to the rest of his body! So I’m going to Konigsee hoping something will ‘click’ and I can relax and let it slide!

ICC Race 1, Winterberg Nov 2009

9th place – which is not fantastic, I’ve had the same result here on World Cup in previous seasons! The athletes on ICC are World Class, but I could have done better – although I’m not sure how?! My starts were, dare I say, blistering! I was happy with them anyway!! I lost it down the track – it requires very subtle steering here and my feeling is that I just did a bit too much!! As always in Winterberg it rained, but for the mens race it didn’t effect the times too much…there is another race tomorrow and I’ll be going for a medal! I’m fairly philosophical regarding my chances of qualifying for Vancouver – I’ve just got to take one race at a time and do my best in each of them – the result will take care of itself!!

Whistler International Training, November 2009

This was really important sliding and learning experience in which I leave feeling that I know my lines and have a game plan for when I'm (hopefully) back here in February 2010 for the 'big race'! Just to prove this is the fastest track in the World, I joined the 140kph club with a run where I clocked 141.52 kph (about 87mph) Not that many Skeleton pilots have broken this barrier and I'm one of the only Brits to do so, a good bit of history for me! The next worthy barrier is 145kph (or 90mph) this speed is taken into an almost 90 degree right hand bend mind!
Wildlife here is great - black bears mooch about all around Whistler! I was warming up at the top of the track and Italy's Marizio Oioli pointed by some containers "There's a bear!" And there was, about 20 feet away! Brilliant, he wandered up along the tree line for a while, but I didn't have my camera on me!
Back to Europe now for training and my first international race of the season in Winterberg!