British Bobsleigh Association
Cooke takes leap into the unknown in Olympic bobsleigh bid
24 September 2008
By Doug Gillon
Taken from www.theherald.co.uk
Britain is casting her net widely for Olympic talent, even advertising for potential podium material on Facebook.
That's how multiple Scottish long jump champion Gillian Cooke found herself in London yesterday, discussing a funding package geared to the 2010 Winter Olympics, after a series of tests to find a brakewoman capable of helping Britain win a bobsleigh medal in Vancouver.
Nicola Minichiello, the former heptathlete who switched to bobsleigh in 2001, is GB's No.1 driver. She finished sixth at this year's World Championships, despite modest starts. So she has been seeking a brakewoman capable of starting faster.
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"She looked at the UK Athletics Power of 10 rankings, mainly at sprinters and throwers, then stuck something on Facebook," said Cooke. "I decided to give it a try. I went to Bath, and then to Camp Hill, in Yorkshire, where they have built a push track. The average time of the best two runs was taken. I finished top."
The top five went last week to Oberhof, near Leipzig. It's where the former East Germany built a refrigerated track, and trained to monopolise the sport.
"It's a huge winter sports complex, and was my first time on ice. My technique was a bit ropey, but hopefully there's room for improvement. Margins were incredibly tight. Just one hundredth of a second separated three of us. Jackie Davies, who was one hundredth slower than me, was selected, because she has driving experience. I then had a push-off against another girl, and went 0.08 faster than the previous day, and was selected for the squad.
"I am heading to Lake Placid in the USA next month. We will possibly be going on to Salt Lake City, and the Olympic track in Vancouver, though it is hard to get time on the Olympic track. I hope to have done four World Cups by Christmas."
Cooke is teaming up with two women who have switched from track and field. Nicola Gautier was Britain's No.2 heptathlete, between Olympic champion Denise Lewis and future bronze medallist Kelly Sotherton, when she tried bobsleigh for the first time. Within three months she was on her way to the 2002 Winter Olympics. Now Nicola Minichiello (her husband coaches heptathlete Jessica Ennis) drives the two-woman bob.
Cooke's rival for the brake berth is Davies, with whom Minichiello took World Championship silver in 2005. This first GB women's medal in the event was won using a second-hand sledge. The pair were ninth in the 2006 Turin Olympics. Davies, who has also competed as a driver, came from athletics and rugby.
Cooke points out that her training, in its main respect, will not change radically. Long jumping is an explosive sprint in spikes, finishing with a jump. It's the same for a brakewoman, though you land in the bob, not sand.
"But it is going to be a steep learning curve," says Cooke, "information overload. They're taking a big gamble on me. Normally a novice would have a European Cup season to break them in, before graduating to the World Cup. I've not even been to the bottom of a bob run yet."
Training could potentially be fraught, as Cooke points out: "I'm Jackie's rival for the place in the bob, and she has to teach me everything. Unlike the Germans, Britain does not employ mechanics. The GB philosophy is that you get to know your sledge. So the athletes polish the runners and align the sledge."
Cooke was flung in at the deep end after the trial, competing in an international in Oberhof where they finished sixth, posting start times within seven-hundredths of the World and Olympic champions.
Minichiello finished sixth in the worlds off the 12th-fastest start. "They gave away a second over the four runs," says Cooke. "A second at the top equates to three seconds at the bottom. That's why they have been looking for new people. The hope is that with a better start, we can be on the podium in the World Cup."
She has told scottishathletics jumps coach Darren Ritchie. "He was surprisingly positive," said Cooke who does not intend to abandon the long jump. Her Scottish indoor record (6.43 metres) is the same as the outdoor best which has stood since 1973. "I want that record outright, and won't consider retiring from athletics until I have it."
She will continue to work with John Scott, her athletics coach. Current support as a long jumper is just £200 per year, but a potential Olympic bob team member might get £10,000. "When we are away, all travel, food and accommodation is covered through funding of the team. The other funding covers loss of earnings, and lifestyle elements."
Cooke has represented Scotland in four different athletics disciplines. She has competed in two Commonwealth Games (pole vault 2002, and long jump 2006), and was fourth in the triple jump at the inaugural Commonwealth Youth Games in 2000. She has represented her country in sprints. She is arguably the country's most versatile sports woman. She has been Scottish senior pole vault champion once and has taken long jump gold five times, as well as winning the national under-20 triple jump title. As a youngster she won Scottish district titles in gymnastics and fencing, and finished third in a national gymnastics development event at 16. She also played representative table tennis and club football.
She is equal first on the Scottish all-time list at long jump (6.43m), fourth in the pole vault (3.90m), sixth in triple jump (12.56m), and is the country's top-ranked sprinter at 60 and 100 metres this year.
She used to play trumpet in a jazz band which played at charity gigs, but had to give it up: "just not enough time," she says. But she will enjoy dancing to a new tune.
Britain is casting her net widely for Olympic talent, even advertising for potential podium material on Facebook.
That's how multiple Scottish long jump champion Gillian Cooke found herself in London yesterday, discussing a funding package geared to the 2010 Winter Olympics, after a series of tests to find a brakewoman capable of helping Britain win a bobsleigh medal in Vancouver.
Nicola Minichiello, the former heptathlete who switched to bobsleigh in 2001, is GB's No.1 driver. She finished sixth at this year's World Championships, despite modest starts. So she has been seeking a brakewoman capable of starting faster.
advertisement
"She looked at the UK Athletics Power of 10 rankings, mainly at sprinters and throwers, then stuck something on Facebook," said Cooke. "I decided to give it a try. I went to Bath, and then to Camp Hill, in Yorkshire, where they have built a push track. The average time of the best two runs was taken. I finished top."
The top five went last week to Oberhof, near Leipzig. It's where the former East Germany built a refrigerated track, and trained to monopolise the sport.
"It's a huge winter sports complex, and was my first time on ice. My technique was a bit ropey, but hopefully there's room for improvement. Margins were incredibly tight. Just one hundredth of a second separated three of us. Jackie Davies, who was one hundredth slower than me, was selected, because she has driving experience. I then had a push-off against another girl, and went 0.08 faster than the previous day, and was selected for the squad.
"I am heading to Lake Placid in the USA next month. We will possibly be going on to Salt Lake City, and the Olympic track in Vancouver, though it is hard to get time on the Olympic track. I hope to have done four World Cups by Christmas."
Cooke is teaming up with two women who have switched from track and field. Nicola Gautier was Britain's No.2 heptathlete, between Olympic champion Denise Lewis and future bronze medallist Kelly Sotherton, when she tried bobsleigh for the first time. Within three months she was on her way to the 2002 Winter Olympics. Now Nicola Minichiello (her husband coaches heptathlete Jessica Ennis) drives the two-woman bob.
Cooke's rival for the brake berth is Davies, with whom Minichiello took World Championship silver in 2005. This first GB women's medal in the event was won using a second-hand sledge. The pair were ninth in the 2006 Turin Olympics. Davies, who has also competed as a driver, came from athletics and rugby.
Cooke points out that her training, in its main respect, will not change radically. Long jumping is an explosive sprint in spikes, finishing with a jump. It's the same for a brakewoman, though you land in the bob, not sand.
"But it is going to be a steep learning curve," says Cooke, "information overload. They're taking a big gamble on me. Normally a novice would have a European Cup season to break them in, before graduating to the World Cup. I've not even been to the bottom of a bob run yet."
Training could potentially be fraught, as Cooke points out: "I'm Jackie's rival for the place in the bob, and she has to teach me everything. Unlike the Germans, Britain does not employ mechanics. The GB philosophy is that you get to know your sledge. So the athletes polish the runners and align the sledge."
Cooke was flung in at the deep end after the trial, competing in an international in Oberhof where they finished sixth, posting start times within seven-hundredths of the World and Olympic champions.
Minichiello finished sixth in the worlds off the 12th-fastest start. "They gave away a second over the four runs," says Cooke. "A second at the top equates to three seconds at the bottom. That's why they have been looking for new people. The hope is that with a better start, we can be on the podium in the World Cup."
She has told scottishathletics jumps coach Darren Ritchie. "He was surprisingly positive," said Cooke who does not intend to abandon the long jump. Her Scottish indoor record (6.43 metres) is the same as the outdoor best which has stood since 1973. "I want that record outright, and won't consider retiring from athletics until I have it."
She will continue to work with John Scott, her athletics coach. Current support as a long jumper is just £200 per year, but a potential Olympic bob team member might get £10,000. "When we are away, all travel, food and accommodation is covered through funding of the team. The other funding covers loss of earnings, and lifestyle elements."
Cooke has represented Scotland in four different athletics disciplines. She has competed in two Commonwealth Games (pole vault 2002, and long jump 2006), and was fourth in the triple jump at the inaugural Commonwealth Youth Games in 2000. She has represented her country in sprints. She is arguably the country's most versatile sports woman. She has been Scottish senior pole vault champion once and has taken long jump gold five times, as well as winning the national under-20 triple jump title. As a youngster she won Scottish district titles in gymnastics and fencing, and finished third in a national gymnastics development event at 16. She also played representative table tennis and club football.
She is equal first on the Scottish all-time list at long jump (6.43m), fourth in the pole vault (3.90m), sixth in triple jump (12.56m), and is the country's top-ranked sprinter at 60 and 100 metres this year.
She used to play trumpet in a jazz band which played at charity gigs, but had to give it up: "just not enough time," she says. But she will enjoy dancing to a new tune.