2013 FIBT World Championships - Women's Skeleton

From St. Moritz, Switzerland

Shelley Rudman will go into the second day of racing with a full second advantage over Noelle Pikus-Pace. The American is in her first year back from retirement and had a few bumps on the top part of the track, but found enough speed to keep her position ahead of third place Lizzy Yarnold. Yarnold, who won last year’s St. Moritz stop, is .15 behind of Pikus-Pace, and .32 ahead of Aussie Michelle Steele. Steele had the second fastest time (behind Rudman) in Heat 2, and jumps from sixth to fourth, just ahead of Mellisa Hollingsworth, Sarah Reid and Katie Uhlaender.

“I think there’s always room for improvement. I’m always picky about my runs, so I’ll go back to the drawing board for a few curves,” said Rudman of her runs. Seemingly flawless runs for the British slider, but she’s looking for more in day 2.

Possibly the most surprising set of runs of the day came from former world champion Anja Huber. Huber got hung up on the wall in her first heat and came into the second run in 24th. A clean second run still lacked the speed that has been expected from the German, and she’ll come into the second day in 22nd.

Americans Pikus-Pace and Uhlaender are second and seventh, while Canadians Hollingsworth, Reid and Cassie Hawrysh will go into day 2 in fifth, sixth and 11th. Donna Creighton is the third British slider in the field, and will go into the second day of racing in 21st.

Results after Heat 2:

Pos	Name	Nation	Draw	Run 1	Run 2	Total
1	Shelley Rudman	GBR	22	69.54	69.49	2:19.03
2	Noelle Pikus-Pace	USA	24	69.99	70.04	2:20.03
3	Elizabeth Yarnold	GBR	26	70.15	70.03	2:20.18
4	Michelle Steele	AUS	20	70.37	70.03	2:20.40
5	Mellisa Hollingsworth	CAN	23	70.33	70.11	2:20.44
6	Sarah Reid	CAN	27	70.64	69.86	2:20.50
7	Katie Uhlaender	USA	25	70.32	70.26	2:20.58
8	Katharine Eustace	NZL	12	70.74	70.29	2:21.03
9	Marion Thees	GER	29	70.64	70.50	2:21.14
10	Olga Potylitsina	RUS	14	70.75	70.46	2:21.21
11	Cassie Hawrysh	CAN	21	70.78	70.75	2:21.53
12	Svetlana Vasilyeva	RUS	11	71.08	70.69	2:21.77
13	Maria Orlova	RUS	17	70.59	71.19	2:21.78
14	Elena Nikitina	RUS	15	71.50	70.67	2:22.17
15	Marina Gilardoni	SUI	7	71.24	71.02	2:22.26
16	Lucy Chaffer	AUS	19	71.55	70.73	2:22.28
17	Janine Flock	AUT	18	71.23	71.15	2:22.38
18	Katharina Heinz	GER	13	71.22	71.16	2:22.38
19	Maria Mazilu	ROU	9	71.89	70.98	2:22.87
20	Joska Le Conte	NED	10	71.92	71.03	2:22.95
21	Donna Creighton	GBR	16	71.65	71.31	2:22.96
22	Anja Huber	GER	28	72.20	70.78	2:22.98
23	Lelde Priedulena	LAT	8	71.99	71.45	2:23.44
24	Nozomi Komuro	JPN	6	71.61	71.91	2:23.52
25	Giulia Carpin	ITA	2	73.11	71.54	2:24.65
26	Michaela Glaesser	CZE	4	72.69	72.00	2:24.69
27	Barbara Hosch	SUI	5	72.68	72.15	2:24.83
28	Maria Montejano	ESP	3	73.18	72.09	2:25.27
29	Sara Lavrencic	SLO	1	73.44	71.85	2:25.29