Bobsleigh team withdraws

February 27, 2009

Bobsleigh team withdraws

An injury to New Zealand Bobsleigh Team driver Alan Henderson has forced the team to withdraw from competition at the FIBT World Championships in Lake Placid, USA.

The team was due to race in the four-man bobsleigh event on Saturday and Sunday morning (NZ time).

Henderson injured his back in a crash during a training run. While not serious, his injury has forced him to withdraw from racing, leaving the team without a driver.

This was to be the first world event for the athletes, who have only been involved in bobsleigh for a few months, and were aiming for a top 16 finish.

Meanwhile top New Zealand skeleton athlete Tionette Stoddard was placed 13th in her first race in the skeleton competition of the World Championships at Lake Placid this morning, an improvement on her world ranking of 16th. She finished in the top six in the push, improving her personal best by a significant 0.19 seconds. Tionette races again tomorrow (Friday, February 27, 8.30am (US time) Saturday 2.30am NZ time), and is aiming for a finish amongst the top 10.

New Zealand men’s skeleton athletes Ian Roberts and Michael Coutts race against the world’s best on Friday and Saturday morning US time, and are both hoping for a finish inside the top 20. Other New Zealand representative Ben Sanford has withdrawn from racing for the rest of the season due to back and hamstring injuries.

Please link to the World Championship website for results and further information, http://www.fibt.com/

ENDS

© Scoop Media