From Winterberg, GER
Jan. 5, 2020 – What Winterberg lacks in enjoyable weather, it makes up for in some incredible racing. The German track provided the latter once again, with Tina Hermann edging out Mimi Rahneva for gold.
Hermann carried a .02 lead over teammate Jacqueline Lölling going into the second heat, and watched while Rahneva put down a monster second run to leapfrog both Lölling and Janine Flock.
On Hermann’s run, the timing and scoring showed her nearly two tenths behind Rahneva. The German clawed back though, and at the finish she held a .03 advantage over the Canadian.
Rahneva’s second run was the fastest of the competition in both heats, and her silver medal was her fourth medal in her past seven World Cup events. Over that time she’s finished no worse than fourth.
Janine Flock edged out Jacqueline Lölling for bronze by .09. The bronze is her third straight medal to start the season.
Lölling fell from second in the first heat back to the fourth place position, her worst finish in the past eight World Cup events.
With her fourth place finish, Lölling retains the World Cup point lead, 17 points ahead of Flock in second, while Hermann’s win puts her up to third place, seven points ahead of Rahneva in fourth.
In fifth was Switzerland’s Marina Gilardoni’s, whose comeback from injury is all but complete. The fifth place effort was her best finish since a pair of bronze medal runs in February of 2016 in St. Moritz and Königssee.
Jane Channell helped put two Canadian sleds in the top six with a sixth place finish. Channell’s second run was .3 quicker than her first to help her move up from eighth.
Megan Henry led the way for the United States with a seventh place finish in her first World Cup race outside of the United States. Behind her, Savannah Graybill finished 16th, picking up .08 from her first run, edging out teammate Kendall Wesenberg in 17th.
The British women couldn’t find podium speed in Winterberg. Olympic bronze medalist Laura Deas edged out teammate Ashleigh Pittaway by .02 to finish 13th with Pittaway finishing just behind her in 14th.
Madi Charney rounded out the Canadian effort with a 18th place effort in her first World Cup event in Winterberg.
Results:
| Pos | Name | Nation | Bib | Start 1 | Start 2 | Run 1 | Run 2 | Total |
| 1 | Tina Hermann | GER | 10 | 5.51 | 5.51 | 58.10 | 58.11 | 1:56.21 |
| 2 | Marela Rahneva | CAN | 13 | 5.36 | 5.33 | 58.23 | 58.01 | 1:56.24 |
| 3 | Janine Flock | AUT | 7 | 5.51 | 5.53 | 58.21 | 58.16 | 1:56.37 |
| 4 | Jacqueline Lölling | GER | 9 | 5.55 | 5.52 | 58.12 | 58.34 | 1:56.46 |
| 5 | Marina Gilardoni | SUI | 11 | 5.38 | 5.37 | 58.34 | 58.68 | 1:57.02 |
| 6 | Jane Channell | CAN | 16 | 5.30 | 5.33 | 58.77 | 58.47 | 1:57.24 |
| 7 | Megan Henry | USA | 14 | 5.38 | 5.40 | 58.73 | 58.73 | 1:57.46 |
| 8 | Elena Nikitina | RUS | 4 | 5.20 | 5.18 | 58.51 | 59.03 | 1:57.54 |
| 9 | Sophia Griebel | GER | 17 | 5.47 | 5.48 | 58.80 | 58.75 | 1:57.55 |
| 10 | Kim Meylemans | BEL | 5 | 5.45 | 5.56 | 58.78 | 58.95 | 1:57.73 |
| 11 | Valentina Margaglio | ITA | 22 | 5.28 | 5.31 | 59.26 | 58.64 | 1:57.90 |
| 11 | Anna Fernstädt | CZE | 8 | 5.69 | 5.69 | 58.95 | 58.95 | 1:57.90 |
| 13 | Laura Deas | GBR | 18 | 5.39 | 5.43 | 59.04 | 58.91 | 1:57.95 |
| 14 | Ashleigh Pittaway | GBR | 20 | 5.68 | 5.66 | 59.02 | 58.95 | 1:57.97 |
| 15 | Jaclyn Narracott | AUS | 6 | 5.55 | 5.55 | 58.92 | 59.16 | 1:58.08 |
| 16 | Savannah Graybill | USA | 15 | 5.61 | 5.61 | 59.16 | 59.08 | 1:58.24 |
| 17 | Kendall Wesenberg | USA | 12 | 5.71 | 5.73 | 59.05 | 59.22 | 1:58.27 |
| 18 | Madison Charney | CAN | 2 | 5.51 | 5.55 | 59.27 | 59.05 | 1:58.32 |
| 19 | Yulia Kanakina | RUS | 19 | 5.23 | 5.29 | 59.35 | 59.10 | 1:58.45 |
| 20 | Renata Khuzina | RUS | 3 | 5.52 | 5.55 | 59.31 | 59.48 | 1:58.79 |
| 21 | Huiyang Lin | CHN | 21 | 5.46 | 59.43 | |||
| 22 | Leslie Stratton | SWE | 1 | 5.68 | 59.66 |
