Second placed Mirela Rahneva from Canada on the podium during the award ceremony following the second run of the women's skeleton World Cup race in Winterberg, Germany, Friday, Jan. 6, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Friso Gentsch-dpa via AP
WINTERBERG, Germany – Canada’s Mirela Rahneva slid to second in women’s World Cup skeleton Friday on a track that’s been good to her.
The 34-year-old from Ottawa claimed her 13th career World Cup medal and her fourth on Winterberg’s sliding track.
“Winterberg is a really gentle gliders track,” Rahneva said.
“It is a really nice, gentle track, and that is my preferred kind of driving. It is really intuitive.
“When I enjoy the track, it is a lot easier to relax and let it fly a little more.”
Rahneva has won a pair of silver and bronze medals in Winterberg.
The two-time Olympian posted the fastest time in the first of Friday’s two heats.
She was poised for her second victory this season, but a mistake near the bottom of the track on her second run allowed Kimberley Bos of the Netherlands to overtake her and win by six hundredths of a second.
Germany’s Hannah Neise took bronze.
“The first run I had a really good start position being fourth off. We knew the ice deteriorated through the men’s race, so I really took advantage of that in the first heat,” Rahneva said.
“I just made a mistake in corner 11 and was trying to clean things up in the second run. First would have been nice, but was really aiming for top-three, so I’m really happy to be on the podium.”
Rahneva placed fifth in last year’s Winter Olympics in Beijing. She won a World Cup race last month in Park City, Utah.
Jane Channell of North Vancouver, B.C., finished 10th on Friday.
Calgary’s Jaclyn Laberge was 21st after one heat and didn’t qualify for the second.
Calgary’s Blake Enzie and Saskatoon’s Evan Neufeldt placed 18th and 20th respectively in the men’s race.
Germany’s Christopher Grotheer and Axel Jungk finished one-two and Britain’s Matt Weston took bronze.
Bobsleigh races start Saturday in Winterberg with women’s monobob and two-man bob.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan./ 6, 2022.
