Matt Weston earned Britain’s first overall World Cup men’s skeleton title in 16 years after finishing joint-fourth in the season’s final event.
Weston pipped Germany’s Christopher Grotheer to gold on the last day of the contest in Lake Placid, United States.
“I wasn’t expecting this at all but it’s an amazing feeling,” he said.
The title is won by the athlete who secures the most points across eight World Cup races in Asia, Europe and North America.
Weston, 27, thought he would have to settle for silver behind Grotheer again – like he did last season – with his rival leading by 75 points after seven races.
However, the German finished 17th at Lake Placid and that allowed Weston to become the first British man since Kristan Bromley in 2008 to win gold.
“With Grotheer being as consistent as he is, it was hard to see him finishing down the field here but that’s what happened,” added Weston, who also won World Championship and European Championship silver this season.
“It wasn’t my best day personally in terms of my own performance either but, after such a tough season, it’s a massive boost to my confidence going into next year and building up to the next Olympics.”
Weston is only the fourth Briton – following Bromley, Shelley Rudman and Lizzy Yarnold – to complete a career hat-trick of World Championship, European Championship and overall World Cup victories.
Also at the Lake Placid event, fellow Briton Marcus Wyatt won silver after missing out on victory by just 0.04 seconds to China’s Yin Zheng.
Reigning European champion Wyatt finished fifth in the overall standings, while ninth-placed Craig Thompson ensured three British men finished in the top 10 for the first time since 2008.
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