Austria's Janine Flock wins World Cup skeleton race in Winterberg for 1st victory since 2021
Canada's Hallie Clarke finishes 8th, countrymate Jane Channell also cracks the top 15
Austria's Janine Flock got her first World Cup skeleton victory in more than three years on Friday, making her the sixth different woman to win in as many races on the circuit so far this season.
Flock's win at Winterberg in Germany was her first World Cup victory in a span of 21 races since prevailing on Dec. 31, 2021, at Sigulda, Latvia. Anna Fernstaedt of the Czech Republic tied her World Cup career best by finishing second on Friday, while Hannah Neise of Germany was third.
Neise — who doesn't have a win this season — is the World Cup points leader with 1,188, only 23 points ahead of Flock.
Mystique Ro was the top U.S. woman, placing 11th.
WATCH l Full replay of 2nd women's skeleton heat in Winterberg:
Brighton, Ont.'s Hallie Clarke, the youngest-ever women's skeleton world champion at 19, finished eighth in Winterberg — less than a year after winning the World Cup race at the same venue.
Jane Channell of North Vancouver, B.C., was 15th.
In the men's race, Britain's Matt Weston won on Friday and took over the World Cup series points lead from teammate Marcus Wyatt, 1,255-1,197. Wyatt was eighth on Friday.
Samuel Meier of Austria was second and Germany's Christopher Grotheer was third. Nicholas Tucker of the U.S. was a team-best 14th in his World Cup debut.
The Americans were fourth in the mixed team skeleton event, with Sara Roderick and Daniel Barefoot just missing a medal. Dan Zhao and Quiwei Lin of China won, with Flock and Maier second for Austria and another Chinese sled — Li Yuxi and Yin Zheng — placing third.
Up next
Bobsleigh: Women's monobob and two-man on Saturday at Winterberg.
Luge: Men's doubles, women's doubles and women's singles on Saturday at Sigulda.
Skeleton: World Cup at St. Moritz, Switzerland, on Jan. 10.
Watch live coverage from all three World Cup stops on CBCSports.ca. The streaming schedule is available here.
With files from CBC Sports
