SKELETON: Shelley ninth in Whistler (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

SKELETON: Shelley ninth in Whistler

10:29pm Friday 23rd November 2012 in Sport By Owen Houlihan

SHELLEY Rudman is still searching for her first podium finish of the FIBT World Cup season after finishing ninth in Whistler in Canada today.

Rudman, the defending World Cup champion, hauled herself into the top 10 with her second run as Germany's Marion Thees claimed victory on the 2010 Olympic track.

The Pewsey slider, 31, clocked 56 seconds flat in the opening run at the third World Cup meeting of the season, leaving her 11th.

She improved by by one-hundredth of a second in the second outing to climb to ninth, more than a second behind Thees.

Canada's Sarah Reid, the winner of the opening round at Lake Placid two weeks ago, finished second behind Thees, with Rudman's Great Britain teammate Lizzy Yarnold third.

Rudman lies ninth overall in the standings as the series heads back to Europe with round four at Winterberg, Germany, next week.

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