A familiar RAF camaraderie during skeleton trials at Bath

As part of tlmNexus’s sponsorship of the RAF BLSA (RAF Bobsleigh, Luge & Skeleton Association) for the 2026/27 season, Adam Taylor, the company’s Customer Support Lead joined the trialists at the University’s unique push-track facility to see first-hand what it takes to compete for a place in the team.

“I spoke to several of the trialists and there was a real mixture of RAF trades represented, and the camaraderie and banter were instantly recognisable from my own time serving." he said.

For many of those attending, this was their first experience of skeleton. They were being assessed with the hope of progressing through further selection stages and, ultimately, earning the opportunity to train on an Olympic ice track.

“What really struck me was the amount of additional time and commitment these athletes put in alongside their normal RAF roles,” Adam said. “There’s the training itself, and also the travel and everything involved in taking part in the selection process. They were putting a considerable amount of effort into it.”

A number of the RAF BLSA team have gone on to compete in World Championships and Nicole Burger (skeleton) and Alex Cartagena (bobsleigh) have competed at the Olympics.

Mutual support in the face of competition

“The RAF spirit created a very positive and relaxed atmosphere, even though everyone knew this was a competitive selection process,” Adam continued.

Representatives from the Royal British Legion were also there supporting the session and taking the opportunity to experience skeleton for themselves.

Adam was joined by guests representing tlmNexus’ customer base and the session was organised and hosted by Shawnie Etchells of the RAF BLSA.

For Adam, bringing people together in an environment far removed from the conventional meeting room proved to be another important part of the day.

“One of the most valuable parts of the afternoon was simply having time to talk face-to-face,” he explained.

“We were able to learn more about each other’s organisations and roles, as well as share a few stories about how we each knew our mutual contact, tlmNexus Customer Account Manager David Kilbride, who attended the Bobsleigh trials a few weeks ago. It was a really relaxed way to meet people and build new relationships.”

Trying the push track

Watching from the sidelines was never going to be quite enough, however. Adam and one of his guests both decided to try the Skeleton push track for themselves. “We certainly won’t be troubling the selectors,” Adam admitted, “but it was great fun.

“Having a go gives you just a small appreciation of the technique and effort involved. What looks straightforward when you watch somebody who knows what they’re doing suddenly feels rather different when it’s you.”

The experience also reinforced the respect Adam had already developed for the athletes hoping to progress through the RAF Skeleton programme.

More than sponsorship

tlmNexus is sponsoring the RAF BLSA teams throughout the 2026/27 season, supporting the people who combine demanding Service careers with the training and competition required to succeed in elite sport.

For Adam, the Bath session demonstrated what makes that relationship particularly worthwhile. “The day brought together three things really well: supporting the athletes, experiencing something completely different, and creating an informal setting where we could meet and get to know new people.”

For tlmNexus, getting closer to the people behind RAF BLSA is an important part of the sponsorship, supporting the team both from the sidelines, as well as taking an active interest in the people, commitment and teamwork that drive it.