Great Britain's Winter Olympics Hall of Fame - 16-20

WHO are the greatest British Winter Olympians of all time? Here's the case for a cast that includes a plasterer from Gloucester and an office clerk and copper from Nottingham, plus a Lord and an Earl.

BLUE RIBAND: Martin Bell's eighth place finish at the 1988 men's downhill in Calgary is Britain's best-ever finish in the event (Getty Images)

16. MARTIN BELL, CALGARY 1988

The men's downhill is to the Olympic Winter Games what the 100m is to its summer equivalent - and Martin Bell's eighth place in Calgary represents Britain's best ever result in the event.

Bell, whose younger brother Graham was a fellow Olympian, started skiing as a six-year old in the Cairngorms and made his World Cup debut in 1981.

He achieved six top ten places at World Cup level, including a fifth place in the Swedish resort of Are in 1986 but it's his performance in Calgary - where Switzerland's Pirmin Zurbriggen took gold - for which he'll be long remembered.

17. NICKY GOOCH, LILLEHAMMER 1994

Nicky Gooch was expected to be overshadowed by Wilf O'Reilly in Lillehammer, his older and more experienced short track speed skating team-mate.

But the world champion suffered a succession of on and off ice problems and it was left to the 21-year old Londoner to step up.

He thought he'd claimed silver in the 1,000m but was disqualified for pushing. However, despite this disappointment he produced another medal performance in the 500m sprint distance, claiming bronze behind Korean gold medallist Chae Ji-Hoon and Italian silver medallist Mirko Vuillermin.

18. GREAT BRITAIN FOUR-MAN BOBSLEIGH TEAM, GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN 1936

Although staged, like the summer Games a few months later, under the gaze of Nazi troops the fourth Olympic Winter Games was still considered a success - with Britain claiming a medal of every colour.

British four-man bobsleigh team of Frederick McEvoy, James Cardno, Gary Dugdale and Charles Green came third in the four-man bobsleigh event, behind two Swiss crews who took gold and silver.

Australian-born McEvoy went on to win five FIBT World Championship medals, including three golds.

19. JOHN CRAMMOND, ST MORITZ, 1948

Twenty years after David Carnegie's bronze - skeleton events returned to the Cresta Run, as St Mortiz hosted their second Games.

Crammond was in the gold medal position after the first run but faded down the medal placings to bronze as Italy's Nino Bibbia came through to claim gold.

British sliders - who played a major role in the development of skeleton with the formation of the St Moritz Toboganning Club - were well represented with Richard Bott, James Coats and Thomas Clarke finishing in sixth, seventh and ninth respectively.

20. DAVID CARNEGIE, ST MORITZ 1928

David Carnegie, the 11th Earl of Northesk, was a buccaneering adventurer who won skeleton bronze on the famous Cresta Run.

American brothers Jennison and John Heaton took the gold and silver while Carnegie finished just over three seconds back after three runs.

An officer in the Coldstream Guards, he served in the Intelligence Corps during World War II, rising to the rank of Major.

Do you agree with our views? Feel free to make your case for anyone omitted on our rankings.

 

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Great Britain's Winter Olympics Hall of Fame - 1-5

Great Britain's Winter Olympics Hall of Fame - 6-10

Great Britain's Winter Olympics Hall of Fame - 11-15

Great Britain's Winter Olympics Hall of Fame - 21-25

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JAMES TONEY