Lizzy Yarnold to lead British charge as skeleton World Cup squad named

With the small matter of defending an Olympic title rapidly approaching, Lizzy Yarnold is setting her sights on more gold as part of a six-strong team selected for the opening World Cup races of the season.

Less than four months remain until the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games get underway, with the British sliders hoping to lay down their markers when the World Cup circuit starts in Lake Placid on November 9.

Yarnold, who won the 2013-14 World Cup crown, is joined in the women's squad by World Cup medallist Laura Deas and Youth Olympic champion Ashleigh Pittaway.

The men's challenge is led by current World No.10 slider Dom Parsons, with Jerry Rice and Jack Thomas also included after making their World Championship debuts last season.

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After competing in New York state, the season then moves west across America to Park City and to Whistler in Canada, before descending on Europe for legs in Winterberg and Innsbruck before Christmas.

It then heads to Altenberg, St Moritz and Konigssee prior to the start of the Olympic Winter Games on February 9.

Lizzy Yarnold of Great Britain reacts after the final run of the IBSF World Championships Bob & Skeleton 2017 at Deutsche Post Eisarena Koenigssee on February 25, 2017 in Koenigssee, Germany.

Image credit: Getty Images

"The selection races were really competitive all round and that's exactly what we want to see in an Olympic season," said Danny Holdcroft, GB Skeleton's head of performance.

"The strength in depth in the programme is something we're really proud of and we have genuine medal contenders on all the international circuits.

"That bodes well, not only for PyeongChang but also for Beijing 2022, especially given that we've also got another nine new sliders out in Norway right now after they joined the programme this summer.

"Having the Olympics on the horizon is a massive incentive for the squad and you can already see how much it means to them all.

"It's the pinnacle of our sport and I'm pleased to say that we are in a really good place as we get ever closer to the Games."