From Bludenz, AUT
(December 20, 2024) – Mystique Ro slid to a decisive victory in the fourth round of the 2024/2025 Europe Cup skeleton season, as she finished nearly a half second ahead of anyone else.
Ro led Germany’s Viktoria Dönicke and Austria’s Julia Erlacher by .4 and .42 respectively after the first heat, with Viktoria Hansova the only other slider within a half of a second of the American.
The second heat saw Erlacher throw down a quick slide to take the lead from Hansova, then hold it as Dönicke was unable to match her pace. But there was no catching Ro, as the American’s second effort was the second fastest of the day behind her first slide.
Ro’s margin of victory was .47 on the 700 meter track over Erlacher. Dönicke took bronze, .78 back, .01 ahead of Hansova in fourth.
Ro’s win was her third in three starts in Bludenz. For Erlacher, her medal was her fourth straight to start the 2024/2025 Europe Cup season.
Dönicke had the quick start in both heats on her way to bronze, her third medal in four races.
Behind Hansova, Annia Unterscheider finished fifth, while Italy’s Angel Osakue took sixth.
The United States’ Michelle Toukan missed a top six by .02 and finished seventh, while Malta’s Shannon Galea finished 24th.
At the halfway mark of the 2024/2025, Julia Erlacher leads the women’s skeleton Europe Cup rankings by 74 points over Viktoria Dönicke, with Michelle Toukan third. Annia Unterscheider, the top junior, sits fourth.
Results:
| Pos | Name | Nation | Bib | Start 1 | Start 2 | Run 1 | Run 2 | Finish |
| 1 | Mystique Ro | USA | 4 | 4.41 | 4.41 | 32.40 | 32.59 | 1:04.99 |
| 2 | Julia Erlacher | AUT | 6 | 4.44 | 4.43 | 32.82 | 32.64 | 1:05.46 |
| 3 | Viktoria Dönicke | GER | 10 | 4.36 | 4.39 | 32.80 | 32.97 | 1:05.77 |
| 4 | Viktoria Hansova | GER | 8 | 4.56 | 4.57 | 32.89 | 32.89 | 1:05.78 |
| 5 | Annia Unterscheider | AUT | 3 | 4.62 | 4.63 | 32.94 | 33.22 | 1:06.16 |
| 6 | Angel Osakue | ITA | 11 | 4.58 | 4.56 | 33.11 | 33.20 | 1:06.31 |
| 7 | Michelle Toukan | USA | 7 | 4.56 | 4.56 | 33.08 | 33.25 | 1:06.33 |
| 8 | Stefanie Votz | GER | 5 | 4.74 | 4.74 | 33.12 | 33.24 | 1:06.36 |
| 9 | Selina Frohberger | GER | 2 | 4.72 | 4.68 | 33.31 | 33.18 | 1:06.49 |
| 10 | Yanqi Zhu | CHN | 1 | 4.51 | 4.53 | 33.22 | 33.34 | 1:06.56 |
| 11 | Carolin Andrä | SUI | 15 | 4.60 | 4.59 | 33.28 | 33.32 | 1:06.60 |
| 12 | Nicole Burger | RSA | 19 | 4.49 | 4.53 | 33.31 | 33.32 | 1:06.63 |
| 12 | Sarah Baumgartner | AUT | 21 | 4.75 | 4.74 | 33.34 | 33.29 | 1:06.63 |
| 14 | Cosima Sebastian | GER | 18 | 4.71 | 4.74 | 33.30 | 33.38 | 1:06.68 |
| 15 | Guanshuo Wang | CHN | 14 | 4.54 | 4.57 | 33.25 | 33.54 | 1:06.79 |
| 16 | Charlize Reimann | GER | 16 | 4.74 | 4.77 | 33.42 | 33.43 | 1:06.85 |
| 17 | Nanna Johansen | DEN | 9 | 4.70 | 4.71 | 33.50 | 33.46 | 1:06.96 |
| 18 | Alessia Gatti | ITA | 17 | 4.47 | 4.49 | 33.39 | 33.65 | 1:07.04 |
| 19 | Katharina Eigenmann | LIE | 23 | 4.72 | 4.74 | 33.65 | 33.46 | 1:07.11 |
| 20 | Marta Jakobczyk | POL | 13 | 4.73 | 4.72 | 33.58 | 33.80 | 1:07.38 |
| 21 | Eire Rowland-Evans | IRL | 12 | 4.67 | 4.72 | 33.88 | 33.75 | 1:07.63 |
| 22 | Ana Torres Quevedo | ESP | 20 | 4.79 | 4.80 | 33.90 | 34.03 | 1:07.93 |
| 23 | Sarah Lüscher | SUI | 22 | 4.82 | 4.81 | 34.06 | 34.40 | 1:08.46 |
| 24 | Shannon Galea | MLT | 24 | 4.79 | 4.98 | 34.30 | 34.68 | 1:08.98 |