Jonnie Woodall

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Jonathan William A. "Jonnie" Woodall (* 25. January 1946 in Oxford , † 3. April 2009 in Baschurch ) was a British luger , Bobsportler and Skeleton athletes .

Jonnie Woodall was a sports soldier in the British Army . In 1970 he began his career as a member of the Army Cresta Team , of which he was a member until 1985, at the Cresta Run in St. Moritz . The all-rounder in the ice channel initially operated skeleton and luge. He drove his first luge season in 1971/72. In the same season he was British champion both in singles and doubles and took part in the 1972 Winter Olympics in Sapporo , where he was 19th in doubles and 34th in singles together with Stephen Marsh . In 1973 Woodall won the Brabazon Trophy at the Cresta race, in 1975 he set the track record and from 1975 to 1983 the Flying Junction record .

In the mid-1970s, Woodall switched from tobogganing to bobsleigh and missed the 1976 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck . Initially he was a brakeman and in this capacity he became British Champion in 1976, Neo Champion as a driver in 1978, champion in two-man and four-man bobsleigh in 1980 and champion in four-man in 1981 and 1982. In 1980 he took part in the Winter Games and was tenth and ninth in Lake Placid as a driver of the two-man and four-man bobsleigh . 1983 Woodall achieved in Cervinia as third place in a two-man bobsleigh World Cup race, his best result in this series of competitions. He also started that year at the European Skeleton Championship in Igls in 1983 . In 2002 and 2003 he won the British senior championship again.

Woodall achieved the rank of major. After leaving the Army, he became President of the British Skeleton Program and most recently served as Race Manager for the British Skeleton Federation. At that time he was still cycling at a high level and took part in the World Masters Track Championships in 2003 . He worked as a commentator for Eurosport and Pan Eurosport.

Woodall was killed in an accident when he collided with a train while cycling. He left a wife and four daughters.

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