Michelle Steele has started the 2008 skeleton season in great style, placing fifth in the Calgary World Cup. OWI/AIS team-mate Emma Lincoln-Smith was also in fine form on the Olympic track, posting a career best ninth place.
Michelle Steele has started the 2008 skeleton season in great style, placing fifth in the Calgary World Cup.
OWI/AIS team-mate Emma Lincoln-Smith was also in fine form on the Olympic track, posting a career best ninth place.
Steele's result was the third best of her career, and came despite a relatively slow start time.
The Bundaberg 21-year-old was only 14th quickest in the opening run and 12th fastest in the second, but made up for that with some excellent sliding.
She recorded a total time of one minute 58.34 seconds, 1.13 slower than Canadian gold medallist Michelle Kelly.
Kelly, the 2003 world champion, edged out compatriot Melissa Hollingsworth by 0.39 of a second, with Great Britain's Amy Williams in third place, three hundredths of a second further back.
Lincoln-Smith, who celebrated her 22nd birthday two days earlier, was 1.43 seconds adrift of the winner.
The third member of the Australian team, 2006 world junior champion Melissa Hoar, was in 17th position in a time of two minutes 0.74.
The second event of the season will be held in Park City, Utah, on the morning of December 7 AEST.
Australia's Development Team athletes have also been back in action, this time in a Europa Cup in Konigssee, Germany, where Teniele Richards finished in 13th place, with Lucy Chaffer three places further back in 16th position.
