TRAVELLING down a bobsleigh track at nearly 80 miles an hour would be too much for some people.

But try going down one on your own and head first and you'll be getting close to Redditch and Great Britain bob skeleton sensation Julia Cartwright.

The 23-year-old from Church Hill first got involved with bob skeleton three years ago while studying at Bath University.

"The university has a dry run and I just started from there," said the former Abbey High School student.

In fact the university is the home of the British Bob Skeleton Association after a multi-million pound push start track was opened in 2002.

And since Cartwright is just one of only a handful of skeleton bobsleighers she was automatically picked for the GB squad and now travels around the world to take part in bob events.

The athlete has just returned from America's Park City after taking part in the Americas Cup and finished up 18 out of 32 competitors with the US competitors taking the top positions.

However, all her travel comes out of her own pocket and is now on the lookout for sponsorship so she can continue training.

She said: "It's still an amateur sport so I'm having to pay for all my track time around the world.

"I'm looking for someone to sponsor me so I can continue the training."

Cartwright is now in the trail of Olympic dreams as she starts her preparation for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver, Canada.