Chaffer Selected for World Cup Tour

Phase one of Olympic qualification for Australian skeleton athletes was finalised last weekend in Lake Placid with John Farrow, Michelle Steele and WAIS athlete Lucy Chaffer all named on the World Cup tour.

For WA’s Chaffer, it signals the start of what will hopefully culminate in Olympic selection for next year’s Winter Games in Sochi.

“I am really excited to be on the World Cup circuit,” Chaffer said from Australia’s European Training Base in Italy.

The selection trials were to consist of two races, one in Park City two weeks ago and the second in Lake Placid, however due to a lack of snow, the Lake Placid selection trials were cancelled, meaning the results from Park City determined World Cup quota places.

“I came second atthe Australian Selection race in Park City which meant I have been chosen on the World cup team for this year,” Chaffer said. “We were supposed to have another selection race in Lake Placid last week but due to warm weather it was cancelled.

Racing on the World Cup tour is crucial for athletes vying for Olympic qualification, as the athletes earn the most points on this circuit.

“You get the most points on the World Cup tour for qualification which means you have a better chance of getting to the Games,” Chaffer said.

Melissa Hoar, Jackie Narracott and Scott Ballard were all named on the Intercontinental Cup circuit and Nick Timmings, Dean Timmings, Ian Craigie and Jess Golding on the Americas Cup circuit.

Chaffer is sliding and feeling the best she has ever felt in a long time.

“The body is good and I have no injuries, no niggles,” she said. “”I will carry a lot of confidence into this year’s World Cup, my training has been going really well. I am faster this year than other years and I think my sliding is as good if not better than it ever has been.”

The thirty-year-old just missed out on Olympic qualification for the Vancouver Games four years ago. This time around she has limited any distractions and tried to focus solely on training.

“I think I am better prepared this year for the World Cup,” she said. “I did not work this year and chose to focus on training. This helped a lot as I was able to train when I needed to and for as long as I needed to. On average this was about five hours a day. I think I have done everything I can up until this point to be ready to compete so that gives me a lot of confidence going into the races.

Next stop is Sochi, Russia for some time on the Olympic track.

“I am off to Russia for two weeks for a week of international training on the Olympic track,” she said.

Then Chaffer, Steel and Farrow return to North America for the all important World Cup tour.

-AOC