European Champion Flock in second, Megan Henry with first World Cup podium in third
Innsbruck (RWH): Skeleton athlete Jacqueline Lölling of Germany has celebrated her first World Cup victory on the Olympic sliding track in Innsbruck (AUT). A mere 0.02 seconds separated the 2018 Olympic silver medallist from the previous leader, the European Champion Janine Flock (AUT). Heat two saw Jacqueline Lölling set a new track record for Innsbruck (53.62 seconds).
In what was just her fifth ever World Cup race, the USA’s Megan Henry (0.26 seconds back) – who already managed to finish the first heat in a surprising third place – celebrated the first podium finish of her career as if it were an all-out victory.
By achieving her eleventh World Cup victory in total, Jacqueline Lölling has drawn level with the current German record holder Anja Huber-Selbach. The 2008 World Champion in the women’s skeleton also won a total of eleven World Cup races during her career.
Susanne Kreher (GER), who is currently leading the IBSF Intercontinental Cup, made her first World Cup appearance following Sophia Griebel’s withdrawal due to illness. The 20-year-old finished sixth in Innsbruck.
After finishing 16th in heat one, the UK’s Kimberley Murray set a temporary track record during the second heat, pushing the 31-year-old eight places up the final rankings.
In the overall standings for the 2019/2020 BMW IBSF World Cup, Jacqueline Lölling (GER, 1052 points) now has a good 20-point lead over Janine Flock (AUT, 1030) in second place. Elena Nikitina (RUS, 986) will go into the sixth of this season’s eight races in third place overall. The defending World Cup title holder fell from second to fourth place during the second heat in Innsbruck.
Further information, the World Cup results and the latest overall standings are available at ibsf.org. ©RWH2020
