OLYMPIAN Sarah Blizzard is taking greater control of her sporting career on an intense winter circuit to step up her next Five-Ring bid.
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The sprinter-turned-sledder, aged 27, has started to capture podium attention in Europe with her gradual transition as an Australian bobsleigh pilot.
This means front seat, memorising the tracks to steer and a massive jump in chasing fundraising leads for what is largely a self-funded sport for Australian athletes.
The Ararat export and four-time Stawell Women's Gift finalist had been fine-tuning her trade in bobsleigh as a brake person since 2019.
A world championship debut is on Blizzard's agenda, in German resort town Winterberg in late February, back on the brakes after half a season learning to pilot, primarily in the monobob.
Competition is going well.
- Sarah Blizzard
"Competition is going well," Blizzard said. "We started in Lillehammer on a new track which was six races in seven days, [it] was a lot to manage but also a lot of fun. This included my first two-man races as a pilot, too. I then went to Sigulda, Latvia, to compete in the monobob Europe Cup and came away with my first podium as a pilot with third place."
Blizzard spent Christmas in the Czech Republic and will be there well into the New Year.
To compete in monobob as an Australian, Blizzard must hustle to purchase or rent her own sled - and sourcing a rental was rare.
She must also cover costs for van hire, extra equipment, accommodation, coaching and other incidentals. But the shift in focus should also allow Blizzard greater flexibility in the sport.
Blizzard is preparing for a big start to the New Year for 2024 with a string of Europe Cup meets through Germany, Switzerland and Austria in both the mono and two-woman bobsleigh, leading into the world championships.
Anyone interested in sponsoring Blizzard to jump in the pilot seat can visit the Australian Sports Foundation projects page.