BLACKBURN bob star Paula Walker and Kelly Thomas finished in a fine 11th place in the two man bob at Whistler Sliding Centre overnight.

Walker and Thomas, sliding in GB2, stood 14th after the first two heats, improved to a creditable 11th place finish, 3.90 seconds behind the winners, Kaillie Humphries and Heather Moyes, of Canada.

But there was agony for medal hope Nichola Minichiello.

Minichiello lost control of her sled on a curve and it flipped over before sliding down the track with the 31-year-old and brakewoman Gillian Cooke trapped inside.

The pair emerged from the sled shaken but not seriously hurt. They did not contest the fourth and final run because Cooke sustained a minor leg injury in the accident.

Minichiello was not the only pilot to crash on her final run. Russians Olga Fedorova and Yulia Timofeeva followed the Britons down the track and also tipped their bob before climbing out unharmed.

Then Germany 2 pilot Cathleen Martini, starting fourth, also crashed after losing brakewoman Romy Logsch out of the back of the sled and over-turning midway down the course.

Their plight helped the Canadians, with Humphries and Moyes maintaining their lead to take gold, while team-mates Helen Upperton and Shelley-Ann Brown leap-frogged USA 2 pair Erin Pac and Elana Meyers for silver.

Irish pair Aoife Hoey and Claire Bergin completed all four runs and finished in 17th position, a total of 6.56 seconds behind the eventual winners.