Members of the British Bobsleigh team will travel to the Michael Johnson Performance Centre in Mckinney, Dallas Texas to begin pre season training later this week for 10 days.
The centre owned by 4-time Olympic Gold medallist Michael Johnson, boasts state of the art facilities and world class coaches that will enable the team to ensure that they are physically prepared for the new 2011- 12 season.
British Bobsleigh Performance Director Gary Anderson states: “As a sport we need to ensure we take a no compromise approach to our preparation for the forthcoming world cup season and ultimately to Sochi in 2014. All our top athletes have bought into our vision and we must now ensure that we expose them to the best possible coaches and facilities available. Our pre-season camp in 2011 was always going to have to set the scene and we could think of no better facility to partner with, than the Michael Johnson Performance Centre. As part of our programme and education we want to expose our athletes to many different aspects of performance and look at what competitors from other sports are doing to stay at the top of their game. Together with the coaches at the MJP our coaching team have designed programs that will enhance speed, force development, strength and power; specific to Bobsleigh. The facilities at the MJP Centre are world-class and supported by coaches who have worked with the best – ‘dynasty winners”; athletes who have topped the podium over and over again. These are the people with which we must associate ourselves “.
World Junior Bobsleigh Champion, Paula Walker is looking forward to going to the centre. She says: “I’m very excited to go to the Michael Johnson Performance Centre. It will give us an opportunity to focus on power force development under the supervision of top quality coaches, in an environment where we are totally focused as a team”
Europa Cup Gold medallist, John Jackson is also excited about the training camp. He says: “It’s such a great opportunity for us to be able to work in a top level performance centre like this and I can’t wait for us to go!”
Communications Director of British Bobsleigh, Manny Cohen says: “This 10 day camp will enable the team to be the best physically prepared for the new season and with only 2 more left before the  2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, it is essential that we do everything in our power to ensure that we reach the podium.”
Facilities at the Michael Johnson centre include a 6,000 sq foot indoor synthetic turf training field, a four lane indoor track, Nike SST sport vision training lab and full medical support.

British Bobsleigh’s Chairman and Jersey’s Lieutenant Governor, Lieutenant-General Andrew Ridgway has been knighted in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list.

Sir Andrew, who is approaching the end of his 5 year spell as Jersey’s Lieutenant Governor was honoured to be recognised for his services to the UK and Jersey.

“This knighthood was a wonderful surprise and I am very honoured to be recognised by her Majesty in this way. The role of Lieutenant-Governor is very much a team game and my wife Valerie has played a huge part in it, as a result of my honour she becomes Lady Ridgway and I think that is only right and just. We have enjoyed our 5 years in Jersey immensely and the knighthood marks a perfect end to our time here.”

Sir Andrew’s last act as Jersey’s Lieutenant-Governor will be presenting trophies at the Island’s first international bobsleigh push start championships on 24^th to 26^th June 2011. The competition will see many elite national bobsleigh teams competing including the British Team which includes the World Junior Champion, Paula Walker. There will also be an opportunity for amateurs and local athletes to compete.

Once he steps down from his role as Jersey’s Lieutenant-Governor, Sir Andrew will continue as Chairman of British Bobsleigh and will aim to steer the British National team towards a podium position at the Winter Olympic Games at Sochi in 2014. He has been involved with the sport since the 1970s when his regiment, The Royal Tank Regiment dominated the British Team.  In 1998 he was invited to take over as Chairman of Army Bobsleigh. The administration of the sport then merged with Army Skeleton and Luge. He then became the first director of Army Ice Sports.

After much soul searching, World Champion Driver Nicola Minichiello will be retiring from Bobsleigh after helping to put Britain back in the forefront of the sport. Nicola who won the 2009-10 World Championship will be taking up a role with the International Bobsleigh Federation (FIBT) as their Head Development Coach, working with the international youth programme.
Nicola Minichiello says: “Throughout my 10 year career in bobsleigh I’ve experienced many achievements. However, becoming World Champion was truly the highlight.  During this time I’m delighted to have worked with so many great individuals, organisations and sponsors, to all of you and to my family, fans and supporters, thank you. “
Nicola’s titles and accolades are extensive, she has been the British number one driver for the past 9 years, and competed in the last three Winter Olympic Games.  In the 2005 World Championships Nicola created history by winning a silver medal, however she went one step further in 2009 winning Gold and becoming Britain’s first female World Champion.  She is widely recognised throughout the world as the most successful British Bobsleigh athlete of the modern era.
British Bobsleigh Chairman, Andrew Ridgway says: “We wish Nicola well and would like to thank her for all her hard work over the years.  Her 2009 World Championship title helped to put Britain back on the map for Bobsleigh and also inspired a new generation of athletes. We will now look to other athletes, including World Junior Champion Paula Walker and those coming through our talent ID programme to ensure that Britain continues to be a major force in world bobsleigh.”

Communications Director of British Bobsleigh, Manny Cohen says: “British Bobsleigh is grateful for everything that Nicola has done for the sport. The future is bright for British Bobsleigh especially under our performance Director Gary Anderson who is building our new team in preparation for bringing back a medal at Sochi 2014.”

Preparations for Sochi 2014 have continued with the appointment of former bobsleigh athlete Chris Woolley as Performance Manager.  Woolley, who was part of the 4 man crew at this year’s World Championships, will bring to the role a wealth of knowledge in athlete preparation and the science underpinning performance that will be vital to the team.

British Bobsleigh will also continue to host talent identification and talent transfer days that are designed to fast track athletes from other sports to bobsleigh at the University of Bath.  Athletes that previously tested and are now part of the programme include Double Olympic sprinter Paul Brizzel, Scottish 60m indoors Champion Stu Benson and Commonwealth sprint Champion Katherine Endacott.

Athletes will return to training this week after a short break with the women’s team on full funding and plans to spend a large amount of time on ice prior to the season starting in November.

British Bobsleigh recently held the first of its talent identification and talent transfer days at the University of Bath in a bid to find future Olympians as part of its mission to bring back a medal at Sochi 2014.
The day was attended by 50 prospective athletes from others sports including sprinter Emma Ania who competed in the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing and hammer thrower Samantha Hynes. All athletes that attended the day were put through various rigorous performance tests to identify who could progress onto becoming potential world class bobsleigh athletes and Olympic medalli

Members of the Britannia Rescue British Bobsleigh Team finished 4^th in the team race at the World Championships in Konigssee, Germany. World Junior Champions Paula Walker and Rebekah Wilson, Europa Cup gold medallist John Jackson and his brakeman Bruce Tasker teamed up with Skeleton pair Shelly Rudman and Kristan Bromley to take 4^th place in the event that was dominated by the host nation‘s teams who took gold and silver with the Canadians taking the bronze. In the individual events, the women’s GBR 1 team Paula Walker and Rebekah Wilson finished 13^th while the GBR 2 team, Fiona Harrison and Gillian Cooke came 21^st. The men’s GBR 1 team John Jackson and Bruce Tasker finished 20^th and the GBR 2 team Lamin Deen and Rich Sharman came 26^th.
Paula Walker said after her races: “I am really pleased with my results. Obviously it would have been nice to get on the podium again after my success at the Junior World Championships but I have had a great season, exceeding all of my performance targets. Next season I know my targets will be higher but I know that I will rise to the challenge, as I always try my best.”

British Bobsleigh performance director Gary Anderson said the team is making progress towards Sochi 2014. He said: “Our successes earlier this year including consistent top 10 finishes in the World and Europa Cup as well as winning the World Junior title has led to a degree of expectation every time we compete. I am never going to be satisfied when we are not on the podium but this is about a processing towards Sochi. The athletes know they are capable of better finishing positions than they achieved this weekend but we know now what to work on and our new programme kicks in from April this year.”

The 4 man event will take place on Saturday 26^th February. Driver John Jackson will lead the team with brakemen Bruce Tasker, Dave Smith and Chris Woolley.

British No.1 bobsleigh driver Paula Walker won the Junior World Championships at the Park City track in Utah, USA yesterday.
Paula Walker aided by Rebekah Wilson piloted her sled to the finish with a combined time of 1:39.78.  US Olympic bronze medallist Elana Meyers came 2^nd while Stefanie Szczurke from Germany finished 3^rd.
Corporal Paula Walker who nearly pulled out of the competition because her dad was in hospital said:

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Olympic bobsleigh finalist John Jackson completed a record breaking week for the sport by adding 2 bronze medals to his gold during the Europa Cup in St Moritz at the weekend.

British No.1 driver John Jackson who won the first ever gold for the Britannia Rescue British Bobsleigh team with brakeman Dan Money in the 2 man event earlier this week also made the podium in both of the 4 man races on Saturday and Sunday.

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British No.1 Bobsleigh driver John Jackson clamied Gold with brakeman Dan Money at the Europa Cup in Moritz today!

Recently appointed British Bobsleigh performance director Gary Anderson believes that the team is on the right track for success as they begin the 2^nd half of the season when the World Cup moves to Igls, Austria.
Gary, who has experience of working with both summer and winter Olympic sports says: “I truly believe that Bobsleigh has the potential to be a gold medal winning sport at Sochi 2014. Having worked in Performance Sport in a number of roles I am really keen to win an Olympic gold medal. I have the pleasure of working with World Champions, European Champions, Commonwealth Champions and soon, I hope, an Olympic Champion!  Read more..

Following 4 top 10 finishes in the World Cup this season, British No.1 Bobsleigh Driver Paula Walker is now ranked joint 8^th in the world. 

Paula Walker aided by brakewomen Kelly Thomas and Rebekah Wilson completed the 1^st half of the season with 10^th place in both the 3^rd and 4^th races of the World Cup in Lake Placid at the weekend. Both races in the World Cup took place in Lake Placid after the scheduled one in Park City was cancelled the previous week due to poor weather conditions. They were both won by German duo Sandra Kiriasis and Stephanie Schneider. Read more..