PAULA Walker's bid for a first podium finish in the FIBT World Cup series ended in a high-speed second run crash in Germany this morning.

The Trowbridge pilot and brakewoman Gillian Cooke were lying in third position after a superb opening outing of 58.53 seconds in the women's two-man event in Altenberg.

Former world junior champion Walker and Cooke were heading for a first-ever top three finish together, lying in top spot during their second run with just two crews remaining when they crashed.

After taking the penultimate bend too high, Walker's sled overturned and continued to cross the line upside-down. The pair were able to clamber from their sled without assistance, finishing down in 13th position.

British Bobsleigh chief Gary Anderson said: “I am totally gutted for Paula and Gill and all my staff, I know how much they all want this.

"Once everything has been sorted, the athletes given a full check up and the sled assessed for damage we will sit down and pick all the positives from this.

"I have spoken to Paula who is devastated but she will bounce back, our athletes have great resilience and will get this right I have no doubt”.

“We were heading straight into a top three finish here before the crash, we must look at that, being competitive with the leading german sleds in their own back yard shows we can do this.''

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