Weston wins Overall World Cup gold
Great Britain is celebrating its first Overall World Cup title in Men’s Skeleton for 16 years after Matt Weston won the crown in Lake Placid on Thursday afternoon.
Awarded to the athlete who complies the most points across all eight World Cup races in Asia, Europe and North America, the title hadn’t been won by a British man since Kristan Bromley triumphed back in 2008.
Weston finished second to Christopher Grotheer last season and had looked set for silver again as he trailed his rival by 75 points after seven races but the German’s 17th place in the final event of the year meant equal fourth on the day was enough for Weston to win gold.
The 27-year-old has now won World Championship gold, European Championship gold and Overall World Cup gold over the last two seasons, with Bromley, Shelley Rudman and double Olympic Champion Lizzy Yarnold the only other Brits to have achieved that career hat-trick.
Marcus Wyatt won silver on the day, missing out on the race win by just 0.04 seconds to China’s Yin Zheng. Reigning European Champion Wyatt finished fifth in the overall standings, having missed a World Championship medal by just one hundredth of a second in Winterberg last month.
“I wasn’t expecting this at all but it’s an amazing feeling. With Grotheer being as consistent as he is, it was hard to picture him finishing down the field here - but that’s what happened,” said Weston, who also won World Championship and European Championship silver this season.
“It wasn’t my best day personally in terms of my own performance either but, after such a tough season, it’s a massive boost to my confidence going into next year and building up to the next Olympics.
I wanted to retain my World Championship crown and I couldn’t quite do that but this does soften the blow a bit. To be seen as the best in the world over a whole season is pretty special. I came close to winning it last season but I popped a spur in one of the races and that blew my chances so it’s great to go one better this year.
“I have to say a massive thanks to all my coaches and team mates - without them, this wouldn’t be possible. The same goes to my family and friends. The support I had out here today and at other races (and from back home) has been incredible - it makes a big difference and I’m glad I could give them something to celebrate.”
Weston finished on 1523 points, winning medals in four races, twice placing fourth and never finishing outside the top 10.
He ended the year 29 points ahead of Olympic Champion Grotheer, with Zheng third overall after winning the final three races of the year.
With Wyatt fifth and Craig Thompson ninth, GB celebrated three men in the top ten of the overall standings for the first time since that 2008 season when Bromley was joined by Anthony Sawyer (sixth) and Adam Pengilly (ninth).
Thompson placed 15th today and Jacob Salisbury was 20th.
