Rob Calleja and new brakeman Jeremy Rolleston have finished in 27th place in a World Cup on the Torino 2006 Olympic course in Cesana Pariol.

Competing in a field of 40 sleds, the Australian finished 1.61 seconds behind the fastest first run time of 56.55 seconds set by the Swiss combination of Martin Annen and Beat Hefti.

They were also .55 of a second outside the top 20 and the chance of a second run.

The New Zealand duo, a possible rival of the Australians for Olympic representation next year, finished in 35th place.

Earlier in the week, Calleja had driven to 30th place in the World Cup in Cortina d’Ampezzo with Shane McKenzie as brakeman. Though the placing was not as good, the time behind the first run leader Pierre Lueders was only 1.38 seconds.

The Australian pair also had equal seventh fastest push time of the 33 sleds in the event.

In the women’s event in Cesana Pariol, Astrid Loch-Wilkinson and Danielle Lynch placed 22nd in a field of 27 sleds.

Their time of 1 minute 01.05 seconds was 2.09 seconds behind the fastest sled of Sandra Kiriasis and Berit Wiacker of Germany.