Australia’s 2-women bobsleigh team has recorded a solid performance at the European Cup overnight, however their sixth place won’t be enough to earn them an automatic quota place for the Vancouver Games.
Australia’s 2-women bobsleigh team has recorded a solid performance at the European Cup overnight, however their sixth place won’t be enough to earn them an automatic quota place for the Vancouver Games.
It will be an anxious wait for pilot Astrid Loch-Wilkinson and Cecilia McIntosh who now rely on being granted the Oceania continental quota place when the FIBT releases their final allocation on 20 January.
Racing on the 2006 Olympic track at Cesana in Italy, the inexperienced crew finished the two runs just 1.45 seconds behind the German winners, to earn a season high 76 qualification points.
Their final race of the qualification period leaves them sitting in 22nd place on the FIBT Olympic adjusted rankings with the top 20 women’s teams automatically qualifying a quota place for the Games.
The Australian Olympic Committee is pushing hard to ensure the Australian women get a chance to race at the Whistler Sliding Centre, the world’s fastest track, next month.
McIntosh has her fingers crossed her Olympic dream will finally be fulfilled. The 2002 Commonwealth Games javelin silver medallist achieved the qualifying standard for the Athens Olympics but a shoulder injury ruled her out.
Loch-Wilkinson placed 14th at the Torino Games and has high hopes to improve on this at her second Games.
Andrew Reid
AOC
