John Stanbridge, pictured right, gives an update on his journey so far as the team looks to secure a place at the winter Olympic 2026. The team and I are back in the UK after a fantastic experience at the World Championships in Winterberg, Germany We achieved a 23rd place finish out of 28 sleds in the competitive world class field.
Olympic 2026 fans worldwide can book Olympic Bobsleigh Tickets from our online platforms e-ticketing. co. Fans can book Olympic Tickets on our website at discounted prices. Experience the thrill of the Games in Milano Cortina and support your favorite athletes as they compete for glory.
I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with the track at Winterberg; it's where our first races for GB began, but things didn't go as expected. It was great to come back and show how far we've progressed since the first season in 2020. Outside the top 20 by just a few tenths and finished strong with a 19th place finish in our last heat.
Although I'm a little disappointed with the result because I expected to be in the top 20, I remind myself that I'm lucky to just be there and the season we had this year has exceeded everyone's expectations. Participating in a world championship is a crucial opportunity for the team to demonstrate to the BBSA and UK Sport that we are genuine contenders for winter Olympic qualification in 2026.
John Stanbridge Reflects on Team Progress and winter Olympic Aspirations
With the support of tlmNexus the team has continued to grow and improve year on year and although I'm home now and returning to the normality of RAF working life I have to focus and look towards next season and the opportunities that should become available after our results this year the season. No rest for the weary.
As a team we need to raise further funding and sponsorship ahead of the 2024/2025 season, with equipment being a huge factor in the team's success in the 4-a-side going forward. After Christmas we made a rental investment in a competitive 4-man sled which ensured we secured our highest 4 man result of 9th in the European Cup.
Investment in a newer competitive 4-man sled is in the region of £30-40k.We've gained significant exposure this season through three RAF news articles, two BBC Shropshire radio interviews, and features on the RAF Intranet site and the RAF Cosford apprentice magazine along with our social media links which have seen almost 60,000 impressions in the last 12 months.
The success and results this season should also qualify me for the RAF Elite Athlete Programme, enabling me to focus on enhancing my athletic potential and supporting the team is ready for the winter Olympic 2026 Games.
This will also open up more opportunities for involvement with yourself and other sponsors. It has been fantastic to have the support of tlmNexus on this journey so far as we look to secure a place for the winter Olympic 2026.
T&T's bobsleigh team eyes development in hunt for four-man spot at Winter Olympic Games 2026
With their eyes set on the Winter Olympic 2026 in Italy Trinidad and Tobago's bobsled team will use the next 18 months to develop a well-oiled four-man squad ahead of winter Olympic qualification.
Helmed by pilot Axel Brown, the Soca Sliders also consist of Shakeel John, Xaverri Williams and Du Aundre John, and are expected to have more athletes, thanks to a recent recruitment drive for potential bobsled leaders. You can Read Winter Olympic Milano Cortina 2026: Lake Placid Bids for 2026 Olympic Bobsleigh Events
For the first time in the country's short Winter Olympic history, TT will be chasing a place in the four-man competition. Previous appearances in 1994 (Lillehammer, Norway), 1998 Nangano, Japan, 2002 Utah, USA and 2022 (Beijing, China) saw the TT compete in the two-man bobsled.
The winter Olympic 2026 qualifiers slide from November 2025 to January 2026. Until then, Brown believes the TT has much to accomplish. However, he is confident they can get it done. This year, he said, it's about development and continuity.
It's a growth year so we're not so much looking at results, we're looking at the future and what we can do now to help the years ahead. Yes, most of our 2023 results were good but we're really looking at growing team, get better and lay the foundation for the other teams, he added.
TT's first assignment for 2024 is the BMW International Bobsleigh & Skeleton Federation World Cup in Switzerland on Saturday; a two-person event. Five days later, the two-man team competes in the European Cup, at the same venue, and then competes for the four-man team the following day.
Trinidad and Tobago Bobsled Team Prepares for winter Olympic Qualification
In early February, they head to Innsbruck, Austria, for another round of European Cup action. Last year, TT's team won its first ever bobsleigh medal – bronze in the four-man competition at the North American Cup in Utah in November. They also achieved their best finish (28th) at the Winter Olympics in February.
Also, a month ago, the four-man team of Brown, Williams, John and Nicholas King produced a credible tenth place finish at the Europe Cup in Norway. Through last December, Du Aundre and Williams spent the holidays with Brown putting in some work on the sled.
This allowed Brown to show them what a bobsledder does in the gym and where they need to be. While he's grateful that the TT's bobsledders more or less come from a track and field background, Brown said they still need to improve their push power at the start of the race.
We're trying to reframe their priorities to show them what it means to be and train as a bobsledder. We've had some really good opportunities in the last three weeks to train with them. Normally, on the ice, the driver has to run a little bit separately on because of the different responsibilities, so training alongside them over the last three weeks has been very beneficial.
Building Strength and Skills: TT Bobsledders Focus on Training Ahead of winter Olympic Bid
Going from a two-man team to four, Brown said, is a progressive move and will broaden the pool of potential athletes for the TT. In addition, the International winter Olympic Committee has mandated nations chasing Winter Olympic qualification to field a four-man squad for the qualifiers.
However, the costs of running and managing such a team will double. Brown confirmed that they received some help from the Ministry of Sport and Community Development for the 2023 campaign and was grateful.
A four-man team doubles our financial responsibility when we get to Milan, Italy. It doubles our budget for this year and the next two years leading up to the winter Olympic. When we're also trying to bring in two more pilots, all of a sudden the financial responsibility is huge, and it's only as much as I can do.
I'm trying to build something that will outlast me, so that's where help from the Ministry of Sport and Community Development and the solidarity funding from the IOC would be really effective, if we were to get it.
Expanding the Team: Financial Challenges and Future Aspirations for TT Bobsledders
Last year's funding from the Ministry played an important role and helped the team despite having to cut a week off the back of the season just to meet the budget due to rising costs.
We can't afford, figuratively speaking, to lose ice time because that's where we're behind. We can work our asses off in the offseason, but if we can't ice time because we can't afford it, there's a cap above us, based on money alone.
He added that TT's performance in all events gives the team significant mileage via international media. The larger we grow in popularity, results, and exposure, the better it is for us. That top-ten finish was seen everywhere. We're the only sled that any other nation talks about because of how unique we are as a Caribbean law.
Transitioning to a Four-Man Team: Opportunities and Challenges for TT Bobsledders
German media reports on Germany and the TT, it's the same with other big nations. They report on their team, then the TT. We have much to offer in terms of exposure, publicity, and brand association.
It's just about getting in the room with the right people and the right companies, who also want to benefit from that exposure or just want to help the team and expand the country's legacy.
Brown hinted at retiring in winter Olympic 2026 but wants to ensure that TT maintains continuity in the sport. He wants the current team to learn from him, just as he learned from his teachers, about running an effective team.
When I make decisions, I explain my reasoning to them, equipping them with the mental tools, preparation, and knowledge to succeed in the sport afterward. I also struggle to create funds that are not tied to me.
So we're grateful for the Sports Ministry funding, but if we can develop it to sustain the program, then the people who inherit it from me, and I, will not just disappear - I'll still be mentoring them - will go into a federation that supports them and hopefully can get them to the 2030 Games.
Experience the magic and excitement as fans from around the world gather to celebrate the spirit of the Games. Secure your Olympic Opening Ceremony Tickets now and create memories that will last a lifetime at the unforgettable Winter Olympic 2026.
