SKELETON: Australia’s top skeleton athletes were at Igls in Austria this weekend for the final World Cup racing before the Olympic qualification period finishes.

The women raced first with 2006 Olympian Michelle Steele and Lucy Chaffer finding some of their early season form. Michelle Steele finished a solid 8th overnight with Chaffer 13^th.

Held at the venue of the 1964 and 1976 Olympic Winter Games, the Igls track was one of the first refrigerated tracks in the world.

Steele was seventh on both of her runs down the 1.220 kilometre course, and finished less than a second behind the winner, Britain’s Elizabeth Yarnold.

“There were certain things I wanted from myself in the race today, besides a good result, and I feel that I accomplished what I set out to do,” Steele said.

“After a couple of set back races, today I felt good on the sled and let it run. I also pushed competitively.

“These were the two things I wanted to get back to. Now I can just keep building.”

Chaffer, was 13th and 15th fastest on her two runs for the final placing of 13^th..

“A decent day today, (and) I was happy to feel that my sliding was coming back,” Chaffer explained.

“I made a few mistakes in both runs that cost me time, but at least I know that was the reason.”

Steele and Chaffer are 16th and 17th in the FIBT Skeleton World Cup.

Sydney athlete John Farrow, who needed a strong result to ensure his spot at the Olympic Games, finished in 25th place and secured a direct quota place in Sochi.

"25th today in Igls was a hard race," Farrow posted on Facebook. "But the points are enough for me to jump into Olympic qualification and hopefully next week I will be named in my first Australian Olympic Team."

The Australians race again in Germany next weekend, before preparing for the Sochi Games in February.