ATHLETE Laura Deas, who lives in Melksham, is a sure choice for GB selection in Women’s Skeleton in the Winter Olympics, despite the qualification period for PyeongChang 2018 remaining open until mid-January.
Laura’s consistency in this season’s World Cup has seen her ranked fifth in the overall world standings and puts her in great contention to be selected for her first Winter Olympics in her skeleton career.
Over the season Laura has managed to remain in the top 10, with four overall top seven finishes, with only marginally slipping out twice. Once was in Whistler, where she finished 11th and again in St Moritz where she finished her lowest of 12th place. She also just missed out on a European Bronze, being within a hundredth of a second in Igls.
Laura said, “There have been some frustrations with some of the racing conditions this season, but you cannot let it affect you too much.
“Despite missing out on a medal, I was pleased with my performance in Igls; it’s not a track where I have had a great deal of success.
“It’s given me a lot of confidence this season with the consistency of my runs and being able to put them together. A lot of the things my coach and I have been working on are starting to take shape. And I feel like I am heading in the right direction.”
After her final race in Konigssee this Friday, she can then turn her attention to PyeongChang in February. “I feel like I know the PyeongChang track fairly well from previous competitions there, but there is still a lot to learn,” she added.
“The speed generated from the top carries a long way which is good and there is a nice mixture of technical turns.
“For me, it would be my first Games and it will be a totally different experience. But I really do believe I can be on the podium.”