2012/2013 FIBT World Cup - Round 8 - Women's Skeleton

From Igls, Austria

It’s a tight race halfway through the 8th round of the FIBT World Cup women’s skeleton race in Igls. Russian Elena Nikitina has the lead, but it’s just .05 back to last week’s winner, American Noelle Pikus-Pace. Another Russian sits in third, with Maria Orlova .21 off the lead.

The big logjam after Heat 1 is from Austrian Janine Flock in fourth back to Brit Shelley Rudman in 12th, with only .22 separating those eight sliders. American Katie Uhlaender is wedged in that group in ninth. Lake Placid winner Sarah Reid leads the way for Canada in seventh, with Mellisa Hollingsworth 13th and Cassie Hawrysh 17th.

A good showing thus far for Great Britain. Lizzy Yarnold is sixth, Shelley Rudman 12th and Donna Creighton 15th. All three are just hundredths of a second from moving up a handful of spots.

The other big story thus far is World Cup point leader Marion Thees barely hanging on 18th. Huber is second in points and will put a large dent in Thees’s lead if Marion can’t move up.

Results after Heat 1:

Pos	Name	Nation	Draw	Run 1
1	Elena Nikitina	RUS	17	55.27
2	Noelle Pikus-Pace	USA	10	55.32
3	Maria Orlova	RUS	15	55.48
4	Janine Flock	AUT	12	55.59
5	Anja Huber	GER	2	55.66
6	Elizabeth Yarnold	GBR	3	55.67
7	Sarah Reid	CAN	4	55.69
8	Olga Potylitsina	RUS	16	55.71
9	Katie Uhlaender	USA	6	55.72
10	Michelle Steele	AUS	11	55.77
11	Lucy Chaffer	AUS	8	55.79
12	Shelley Rudman	GBR	1	55.81
13	Mellisa Hollingsworth	CAN	5	55.92
14	Sophia Griebel	GER	14	55.95
15	Donna Creighton	GBR	13	55.98
16	Katharine Eustace	NZL	18	56.03
17	Cassie Hawrysh	CAN	9	56.05
18	Marion Thees	GER	7	56.06
19	Maria Mazilu	ROU	21	56.24
20	Joska Le Conte	NED	19	56.26
21	Lelde Priedulena	LAT	20	56.31
22	Marina Gilardoni	SUI	22	56.34
23	Maria Montejano	ESP	25	56.46
24	Barbara Hosch	SUI	23	57.35
25	Delia Ivas	ROU	24	57.52
26	Sara Lavrencic	SLO	26	57.68