Jane Channell wins 1st career skeleton World Cup medal
Canadian places 3rd at Winterberg
Canada's Jane Channell reached a skeleton World Cup podium for the first time in her career Friday, placing third in the women's race at Winterberg, Germany.
The 27-year-old from Whistler, B.C., stood with the best time in the finish area with only three athletes left. When Britain's Laura Deas failed to beat her time, Channell teared up, knowing she had clinched a podium spot.
The final two women both bettered Channell's time. Germany's Tina Hermann won the race with a two-run combined time of one minute 57.87 seconds, and countrywoman Jacqueline Loelling finished second, 0.40 of a second behind Hermann.
Channell clocked in 0.88 of a second behind the winner.
Canada's Elisabeth Vathje finished ninth.
Since making her World Cup debut in January 2014, Channell's previous best finish on the circuit had been seventh place. She achieved that result twice last season, and again at last week's 2015-16 season opener in Altenberg, Germany.
"I'm more confident going into this year on the World Cup circuit," she said. "We're revisiting tracks that were new to me last year so I'm able to build off what I have already learned."
Channell also finished fourth at last season's world championships at Winterberg.
"I really like this track. We spent lots of time here last year so it's rewarding to see that work has paid off," she said.
Dukurs wins again
Latvia's Martins Dukurs continued his domination of the men's event by winning his second consecutive race to open the season.
Russia's Alexander Tretiakov, who lost to Dukurs by 0.03 of a second last week at Altenberg, finished second again, this time 0.56 of a second behind the winner. Germany's Axel Jungk posted an identical time to Tretiakov's.
Canada's Dave Greszczyszyn finished 13th for the second straight week, and Barrett Martineau was 15th, down from 17th a week ago.
Dukurs is trying for his seventh consecutive World Cup season title. The two-time Olympic silver medallist won his third world title last season on the Winterberg track.