The Australian Women’s Bobsleigh Team has produced their best World Cup finish ever overnight, placing 7th in the Altenberg World Cup. The race was the first for new recruit Jana Pittman, pushing for pilot Astrid Radjenovic.

Pittman has already taken to her new sport.

"My first runs down the track one week ago I found terrifying, but within one session I was in love with the sport and find it a big rush!" Pittman said.

Pittman used the race to gain experience on the ice, ahead of the Sochi 2014 Olympic season next
year.

"I was honoured that Astrid chose me to push in the race. She drove the sled so well today, and I was determined to  her as good a push start as I could, with my limited experience on ice."

Radjenovic was pleased with the result and praised Pittman for keeping her nerves under pressure.

"We had a great race and everything came together well," the dual Olympian said. "I knew it was a risk to put Jana in the race after just one week on ice, but I really wanted to give her the experience, and was impressed how well she rose to the challenge.

"Today was a good indication of what more we could achieve, with a year of hard training together
and some new equipment."

The Icebirds will continue their 2012/13 season campaign next week, with a World Cup in Konigssee,Germany. The remainder of their campaign will also take them to the new Olympic track in Sochi, in February.

"Now that Jana has shaken off initial nerves of racing on ice, we will work on preparing her for next season, and any racing she does this year will be about training and learning. I am very positive about her potential leading into next year," Radjenovic said.

Pittman will work with fellow teammates Fiona Harrison and Ebony Gorincu, to improve in the brake-woman role as she learns the sport.

The Icebirds will launch a fundraising campaign in late January through Sportaroo and the WISE Foundation (Women in Sport Enterprise), to help them purchase a new and faster sled as they head towards the Olympics.