Team Ireland Q&A
What do you love most about skeleton?
First of all I love the speed and the adrenaline rush, Skeleton can be difficult to ‘get right’ but when it goes well I feel like I am flying. Just thinking about it makes me smile, it is a feeling I cannot put into words, and one you will never experience unless you are a Skeleton Athlete. I also love how unpredictable the sport is, no two runs are ever the same and you never know what is going to happen, this makes the sport even more thrilling to me.
I also love meeting new people and making friends with other athletes from different cultures, backgrounds and places. I always Joke how I have unlocked several free holiday destinations for life. Each summer I often visit my friends abroad or they visit me, I am very lucky!
Below is a photo of me and my best friend Ana Torres-Quevedo who competes for Spain.
Éire Rowland-Evans: Official International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation (IBSF) profile
Where in the world is your favourite track and why?
So far my favourite track has been Park City! This is where I started to really understand Skeleton and it's the track where I made the biggest improvement! I improved from a 59s downtime (or run) in official training 1, to a time of 51.66 just 3 days later in race 2, run 2. This track is super fast and you reach your top speed by corner 6, so everything happens pretty quick!
What song do you listen to before sliding?
I am usually listening to something groovy, like some 80s music to lighten the mood and keep me feeling relaxed!
If you weren't a Skeleton Athlete what would you be?
I used to be a competitive swimmer and this is a sport I would have pursued had I not got into sliding sports. I also would like to give Water Polo a go!
What's your favourite food?
I LOVE Italian food! Whether it’s Pizza, Pasta, Gelato, Tiramisu or an Italian Coffee, I'm there!
What is your favourite film?
I can't name just 1 but I love…Guardians of the Galaxy, Hot Fuzz, Bullet Train, Inglorious Basterds and Bridget Jones Diary.