The 31-year-old (pictured top), who claimed silver at the Turin 2006 Winter Olympics, finished with the fastest time in each of the first two runs to open up the lead of exactly one second ahead of 2007 champion Noelle Pikus-Pace of the United States and believes she can go even quicker in her final run.

"I think there is always room for improvement," Rudman, who's previous best at a World Championships was a fourth place finish in 2011, told Eurosport.

"I will be having a look back at some of the curves I didn't think went so well."

Last year Rudman finished in fourth place, while Britain's Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic champion Amy Williams finished fifth.


Meanwhile, their compatriot Lizzy Yarnold is on course to retain her bronze medal placing from the 2012 event as she currently sits in third place 0.15 seconds behind Pikus-Pace, which could also represent Britain's first time to finish with two sliders on the podium at a World Championships.

The 24-year-old, who sits fourth in the overall World Cup standings ahead of the season finale on the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympic track in Russia, admitted she is looking for ways to improve.

"There is a lot of work to do and you can always improve," Yarnold explained.

"St Moritz is still a new track for me and I am learning all the time but it is going to plan."

The third and final Briton in action in St Moritz is Donna Creighton who is placed 19th overall with runs of 1:11.65 and 1:11.31, putting her 3.93 behind compatriot Rudman.

Only one Briton has ever won the skeleton world title – Rudman's partner Kristan Bromley when he claimed gold in Altenberg back in 2008.

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