Special start to huge sliding season
Marcus Wyatt and Freya Tarbit admit today’s World Cup Skeleton opener is an extra special one for multiple reasons.
As well as being the first race of the new campaign in the final season of a four-year Olympic cycle, the sport’s first top-tier event since March is taking place at the venue for next year’s Games.
The Italian town of Cortina hosts its first World Cup competition for close to two decades, with the last event taking place back in 2007 when Tarbit was just six and Wyatt only 15.
Throw in the history attached to a venue that previously hosted the 1956 Olympics and the stunning scenery that surrounds a brand new track and it all adds up to an incredibly exciting start to what promises to be an equally exciting season.
“There’s a lot of excitement: it’s been exciting to learn a new track and to be here knowing this is where the Games will be. It’s really special,” said Tarbit, who ended the 2024/25 sliding season eighth in the world rankings.
“We’ve had bright blue sunshine for much of the last two or three weeks and we’re here in the beautiful Italian Dolomites so it’s a double plus, really.
You can’t quite put it into words how incredible it will be in February. I’ve been picturing where all the spectators will be amongst all this dramatic scenery and you can just tell it will be very, very special when the Olympics come around.
“And this season is special in its own right. Trying to qualify for my first Olympic Games is daunting and exciting at the same time. It’s a new experience and I’m just trying to enjoy the process. It’s a challenge not to focus on the Olympics but it’s important to enjoy the season and perform each week. After a summer of really thorough training and preparation, that starts now.
“It’s a really exciting season for skeleton and bobsleigh in this country and I genuinely believe we can come away from the Olympics with multiple medals. We’re in a really strong place and that’s a very exciting and motivating place to be.”
Wyatt enjoyed a tremendous season last time out, winning both World Championship and Overall World Cup silver to head into the Olympic campaign on a major high.
He knows last year provides a great platform to kick on from and a similar result this morning would be a big boost but he is also quick to point out that success or failure here this weekend doesn’t guarantee anything come February.
“It’s the business end of the cycle now. It’s the first opportunity to get on the Olympic track; the first opportunity to race on it; and everyone is going to be going all out to establish the pecking order, not only for the World Cup season but also for the Olympic track. I’m super excited and looking forward to what should be a really good, close race,” added Wyatt.
“People say ‘you don’t lose, you learn’ and that’s very true here. If I have an absolute shocker on race day we’ll unpick it, learn from it and make sure it doesn’t happen again but this is still a warm up. This is all part off that build up to February but the run that really counts will be that fourth run at the Olympics.
“The first few corners are tricky. You need to push well, drive well through the first five or six corners and then let it fly. We feel we stand as good a chance as anyone and it could really suit us.
The scenery is stunning but one thing you really pick up on here is the sliding history. You get the feel of the previous track and the sliding heritage here.
“Cortina has that identity. It’s got elements of St Moritz, with the weather, the lifestyle and the beautiful scenery. The corners have names, people around here know about the sport and that’s really cool. I can see my family and friends coming here for the Olympics and loving it.”
You can watch today’s race - and all this year’s World Cup events - live via the International Bobsleigh & Skeleton Federation YouTube channel.
