Nicola Minichiello claims world bobsleigh title

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Posted: Sunday 22nd February 2009 | 10:13

NICOLA Minichiello and Gillian Cooke became the first British women to win a Bobsleigh World Championship title when they claimed gold in Lake Placid.

ICE QUEEN: Nicola Minichiello underlined why she is Britain's best shot for an Olympic medal with a world title victory (Getty Images)

The pair had been second after two of the four runs that make up the World Championships - four-hundredths of a second behind American leaders Shauna Rohbock and Elana Meyers, the eventual silver medallists.

But the Brits produced an outstanding third run to head the field and followed that up with another solid performance on the fourth and final run to capture the title. It's the first British bobsleigh world title since Anthony Nash and Robin Dixon won the two-man competition in St. Moritz 44 years ago.

"I really felt going into here that this track is such a magical track that it could have been anybody's day, and it was," said Minichiello.

"It's fantastic. It's great for my country. I'm so glad."

It wrapped up an outstanding season for the British pair - with less than a year to go to the Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver.

Minichiello - who is targeting a third Olympics - finished the World Cup series in third place overall, winning a silver and two bronzes in the eight race series. She also won bronze at the European Championships.

In 2005 Minichiello and Jackie Davies won the silver medal at the World Championships in Calgary, becoming the first British women to claim a Bobsleigh World Championship medal.