Consistency key in Wyatt's medal quest
Marcus Wyatt has echoed team-mate Matt Weston’s view that consistency will be key as the British pair chase gold at this week’s World Championships.
Wyatt finished the World Cup season second in the overall standings, with only Weston ahead of him after eight top-tier events across Europe and Asia.
Attentions have now turned to the season showpiece in the United States - the only race other than the Olympic Winter Games that takes place over two days as opposed to one and features four runs rather than two.
Throw in the unexpectedly mixed weather conditions in Lake Placid right now and Wyatt knows that he’ll need to be on the money every single moment to leave America with a first World Championship medal of his career.
“With a four-run race, consistency is the main aim. If you can produce four solid runs, you should be in the medal spots. A couple of quick ones and a couple of shockers won’t be good enough,” said Wyatt.
“The weather here has been so up and down - freezing one day and warm the next - so that’s an added challenge. Day one looks like it’s going to be warm and day two looks like it’s going to be cold.
Being able to adapt to those different conditions on different days isn’t something we usually have to do. Being consistent when the conditions aren’t consistent is a definite test.
“Adapting is one of our strengths as a programme, though. It goes right back to our roots of not having a home track in the UK. We pride ourselves on being able to turn up and adapt quicker than most. Hopefully, that will help us this week.”
Wyatt was certainly consistent throughout the World Cup campaign as he won five medals, finished fourth once and was never outside the top eight all year.
The former American Footballer won gold in Sigulda; silver twice in PyeongChang; and bronze in Altenberg and again in Lillehammer in the last race of the year.
He came within a whisker of retaining his European Championship title, too, as he missed out to Austria’s Samuel Maier by just one hundredth of a second in Norway last month.
Wyatt missed a World Championship medal by the exact same margin in Winterberg 12 months ago but his near constant level of success this term means he arrives in America knowing that he has as good a chance as anyone of making sure he’s on the podium this time around.
“What this season has really reaffirmed is that I can compete with anyone, any day, anywhere. That fills me with confidence going into this week,” added Wyatt.
I’ve been incredibly close to a World Champs medal before and I’m reminded of how painful it is to be so close but so far away. This is the one that needs a tick in the box.
“If it’s that extra .1 of a per cent that is going to make the difference, I’m very aware of making sure I do absolutely everything I can to be on the right side of those small margins this time. If I’m in fourth or just outside the medals, I’m going to take a risk to move up. I won’t be settling for anything less.
“I want that medal but the ultimate aim is gold. At the start of the season, I would have been aiming for a medal of any colour but I’ve proven to myself that gold is absolutely what I’m capable of. Gold is the aim, but if I miss it and grab a silver, I won’t be too disappointed.
“I like the track here. I’ve raced here quite a few times and have had quite a lot of success. Off the back of a really strong year, I feel ready and excited for what is as good an opportunity as any to win a gold medal at the Worlds.”
World Championship schedule
All times are GMT
Thurs 6 Mar
Men's Skeleton Runs 1&2 2pm
Women's Skeleton Runs 1&2 7pm
Fri 7 Mar
Men's Skeleton Runs 3&4 3.45pm
Women's Skeleton Runs 3&4 9pm
Sat 8 Mar
2-man Bobsleigh Runs 1&2 2pm
Women's Monobob Runs 1&2 7pm
Sun 9 Mar
Skeleton Team Event 12am
2-man Bobsleigh Runs 3&4 2.30pm
Women's Monobob Runs 3&4 7.30pm
Sat 15 Mar
4-man Bobsleigh Runs 1&2 1pm
Women's Bobsleigh Runs 1&2 6pm
Sun 16 Mar
4-man Bobsleigh Runs 3&4 1pm
Women's Bobsleigh Runs 3&4 6pm
