Nicola Minichiello on song again in training

From Sportsbeat staff, in Vancouver

 BRITISH bobsleigh world champion Nicola Minichiello produced another top-five training time ahead of the start of the Olympic women's event in Whistler on Tuesday.

FULLY FOCUSED: Nicola Minichiello produces another top five training run as she prepares for her third Olympic appearance (Getty Images)

Minichiello and Gillian Cooke were joint fifth fastest in their fourth training run at the Whistler Sliding Centre, having opened up with the 15th fastest time, leaving the Brits with reasons to be optimistic.

"It was good today. We're cleaning things up corner by corner and ironing out the mistakes one by one," said Minichiello.

"It's all about timing and getting the rhythm and the heartbeat of the track. This season has been all about the Olympics for us in the same way that last season was all about the World Championships.

"We're in the best shape of our lives so it's a good time to be here."

However, team-mates Paula Walker and Kelly Thomas suffered a nasty crash on the final corner of the track, just 24 hours after John Jackson and Dan Money were disqualified in the first run of the men's two-man competition after a high-speed spill.

"It's our first crash of the season - it doesn't happen that often," said Thomas. 

"It's best to go again straight away. Until you try something new on the track you don't know whether it's right or wrong."

Walker added: "The crash was my mistake. We're absolutely fine. We just have some cuts and bruises."

Canada have been setting the pace with Kaillie Humphries fastest in the third training run and Helen Upperton quickest in the fourth run.

 

 AS IT HAPPENS: Day ten of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver