Inter Service Skeleton Championship
ISIC 2026 Skeleton Championships – RAF Claim Top Honours on a Demanding Lillehammer Track
The Inter Service Skeleton Championships returned to Lillehammer for the second consecutive year, with athletes arriving familiar with the Norwegian track but quickly discovering that this season’s ice conditions presented fresh challenges. Subtle changes in the build of the ice altered the behaviour of several corners, with the notorious Bend 13 proving particularly difficult throughout the training period and competition runs.
This year’s championships also featured an impressive level of experience on the start line, including several athletes with Olympic pedigree. Flight Lieutenant Nicole Berger of the Royal Air Force had recently returned from the Winter Games in Cortina where she represented South Africa, while fellow RAF athlete Flight Lieutenant Rhys Thornbury — who competed for New Zealand at the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics — once again anchored the RAF men’s team with his considerable experience. Supporting the Royal Navy squad this season was former Olympic skeleton athlete Brogan Crowley, who competed at Beijing 2022 and brought valuable coaching expertise to the team.
Men’s Competition
In the men’s event, the RAF’s experience ultimately proved decisive. Led by Thornbury, the RAF secured first place overall with a series of controlled and consistent runs down the challenging track.
The Army delivered a strong performance to take second place, while the Royal Navy finished third. The Navy’s position was influenced by circumstances beyond their control, with two athletes unable to compete due to injury, leaving only three competitors where normally four would form a full team.
Despite this, Royal Navy athletes demonstrated impressive start speed. The fastest push times of the competition were jointly recorded by two Royal Navy sliders, both posting explosive start times of 4.98 seconds — marginally quicker than the former Olympian, who was reportedly managing an injury during the event.
Women’s Competition
The women’s competition followed a similar narrative, with the Royal Air Force producing a commanding performance to secure first place. Olympic athlete Nicole Berger delivered some of the fastest and most composed runs of the competition, supported by a strong RAF squad of experienced sliders.
The Royal Navy claimed second place after a determined performance. One of their senior athletes suffered a crash in the infamous Bend 13 during the opening run but impressively managed to regain control of the sled and cross the finish line with a qualifying time, ensuring the team remained in contention.
The Army finished third after one of their experienced sliders also crashed at Bend 13, resulting in a did-not-finish that ultimately impacted their overall result. Despite this setback, the Army team showed strong pace and determination across the competition.
Sponsors and Guests
The championships were supported by Babcock, sponsors of this year’s skeleton competition. Representatives Donna and Georgie attended the event and had the honour of presenting the silver and bronze medals during the prize-giving ceremony. Air Commodore Fogden presented the gold medals, both of which went to the Royal Air Force.
During the week, the Babcock guests were also given the opportunity to experience the thrill of the track themselves, taking part in a guest bobsleigh run piloted by Nick Gleeson — an experience that left a lasting impression and may see them returning next year to try skeleton for themselves.
Closing Ceremony
Bringing the championships to a close, Rear Admiral Angus Essenhigh praised the remarkable efforts of all the skeleton athletes and highlighted the significant work carried out behind the scenes by the single Service discipline managers, coaches and organisers to deliver the competition safely and successfully once again.
He also extended sincere thanks to Babcock for their continued support of the championships, expressing hope that the partnership and tradition would continue long into the future.
Once again, the Inter Service Skeleton Championships demonstrated the unique blend of courage, skill and resilience required to compete in one of the most demanding sports on ice, and provided another memorable chapter in the Armed Forces winter sports calendar.
