By Mike Rowbottom

Lizzy Yarnold 16-11-12November 16 - British Skeleton, which has earned Olympic medals at the last three Winter Games, has announced its first direct sponsorship for a decade in the form of a new two-year agreement with Lloyd & Partners Limited (LPL) which will provide support through to the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics.

The LPL sponsorship will allow British Skeleton to maintain and improve its high standard of  performance support to the squad during the crucial 16 months leading up to the Olympic Games in Russia and will see 2012 world junior champion and 2012 senior world championship bronze medallist Lizzy Yarnold (pictured top) act as LPL Ambassador on behalf of the association.

The deal showcases the impact of commercial sponsorship to winter sports and offers a significant boost to Britain's prospects in the fastest growing of the bob sports

"We are delighted to be able to get behind British Skeleton and to play a part in the development of a team with such remarkable potential in a sport that will, with luck, place Team GB in the limelight at Sochi 2014," John Lloyd, LPL chairman, said.

"Skeleton is the winter sport in which Great Britain has been most successful in the last 30 years and I very much hope that Lloyd & Partners' support will ensure further success in the future."

amy williams vancouver 2010 16-11-12Skeleton is Britain's most successful winter sport over the last 30 years, with a gold medal from Amy Williams at Vancouver 2010, silver from Shelley Rudman at Turin 2006 and bronze from Alex Coomber at Salt Lake City 2002

On announcing the deal, British Skeleton President Clifton Wrottesley said: "This is a great day for the sport in Great Britain and a tremendous boost for all our athletes who work hard all year round to deliver results.

"We are a small sport, but have consistently delivered medals at all levels of competition over recent years including Amy Williams' gold medal at the last Winter Olympics in Vancouver 2010.

"This funding will make a huge difference, enabling us to focus additional resources into performance areas that can benefit the athletes, coaches and support staff in the lead-up to Sochi 2014."

Sochi 2014 hopeful Yarnold added: "All the athletes are over the moon and, hopefully, we will see one or two from Lloyd & Partners out visiting us on the World Cup circuit."

Skeleton is Britain's most successful winter sport over the last 30 years, with British athletes winning medals at each of the last three Olympic Winter Games.

Skeleton was reintroduced to the Olympic programme in 2002.

Alex Coomber won bronze at Salt Lake City in that year, with Shelley Rudman taking silver at Turin 2006 and Williams winning gold at Vancouver in 2010.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]