European Championship gold for Anja Schneiderheinze, silver for Willemsen, bronze for Schneider

St Moritz (RWH) Bobsleigh pilot Elana Meyers Taylor from the USA has crowned her return to the World Cup with victory. The Sochi Olympic silver medallist had missed several weeks this winter due to a concussion and was back in the racing series for the first time in 2016 at the BMW IBSF World Cup in St Moritz. Together with her brakewoman Lauren Gibbs she set a new season track record (1:08.14 minutes) in her second run down the Olympia Bob Run St Moritz-Celerina and left the competition behind her.
Coming in second 0.38 seconds behind the US pairing, defending European Champion Anja Schneiderheinze of Germany and her brakewoman Annika Drazek also had cause for celebration, making it onto the World Cup podium for the first time this season and securing gold in the European Championships with a start record of 5.45 seconds on the Olympia Bob Run St Moritz-Celerina. Olympic Champion Kaillie Humphries of Canada came third in the World Cup race with Melissa Lotholz (0.76 seconds behind).
The silver medal in the European Championships went to Elfje Willemsen and Sophie Vercruyssen of Belgium, their first ever medal in this racing format. The surprise winner of the bronze medal in the European Championships was Junior World Champion Stephanie Schneider with brakewoman Lisa Marie Buckwitz (GER). Schneider, who came third in last year’s World Championships in the sled piloted by Cathleen Martini, has taken to the helm herself this season, and made her World Cup debut as bobsleigh pilot in St Moritz.
After seven of eight races in the BMW IBSF World Cup 2015/2016, the overall standings continue to be led by 2012 and 2013 World Champion Kaillie Humphries (CAN), who now has 1510 points. Jamie Greubel Poser (USA), who missed the podium in St Moritz for the first time this season with a fourth, is overall second with 1452 points and Christina Hengster (AUT) is third with 1354 points after a seventh in St Moritz.
Complete results lists showing all race times, overall times and the latest World Cup standings can be found at ibfs.org, via Twitter (@IBSFsliding), on the official IBSF page, and on the IBSF Facebook group. ©RWH2015-2016