WINTERBERG, Germany — Canada’s Mirela Rahneva enjoyed a good start to 2020, sliding to a silver medal at the skeleton World Cup on Sunday.
The 31-year-old had the fastest run of the day (58.01 seconds) while sliding down the Winterberg track in the final heat to secure the ninth World Cup medal of her career and first this season. The 2018 Olympian finished with a combined time of one minute 56.24 seconds.
“This feels really good,” said Rahneva, who has finished third in the overall World Cup standings in each of the last two seasons.
“I was sitting in fourth after that first run and was determined I would not be edged off that podium again.”
The Ottawa native was also fourth in her first two races of the season before the holiday break in Lake Placid.
“I was sitting there after the first run and I said to myself ‘I’m sick of fourth. I’ll be really, really mad if that happens again,’” she said. “I was definitely more eager to step it up in the final heat and get on the podium.”
Rahneva finished .03 seconds off the golden pace set by Germany’s Tina Hermann (1:56.21). Austria’s Janine Flock claimed the bronze at 1:56.37.
Jane Channell of North Vancouver, B.C., finished in sixth place.
“Starting the New Year with a sixth-place finish is definitely a big confidence booster,” said Channell. “The set up for the race was different than any other. We came together as a team, working well for each other when we needed immediate help on the track.
“The field is filled with top competitors so to be ranked up there at the top of the results sheet is huge for me.”
Calgary’s Madison Charney rounded out the Canadian contingent in the women’s race with an 18th-place finish.
Kevin Boyer, of Sherwood Park, Alta., was 21st in the men’s race while Calgary’s Kyle Murray tied for 22nd.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 5, 2020.