Canada’s Jane Channell wins World Cup silver in women’s skeleton at Whistler
WHISTLER, B.C. — Jane Channell knows the track at the Whistler Sliding Centre better than most of her competitors, but she was doubting herself going into Friday’s World Cup skeleton race.
So when she ended up on the podium with a silver medal at her home course, she couldn’t hold back the tears.
The 29-year-old from North Vancouver, B.C., managed to defend the second-place ranking she earned in the first heat, securing her podium finish with a speedy two-run time of one minute 48.61 seconds.
“I didn’t have much confidence, honestly, going into today, even though I know it’s my home track,” said Channell. “I knew I could do it and everything, but it’s just a matter of actually being able to execute it. Being here for selection races at the beginning of the year was so helpful and to be able to come back and build off of what I was able to do in September was huge. I’m really happy with how today went.”
It was the first World Cup medal of the season for Channell, as well as her first at the Whistler Sliding Centre. The result was Channell’s best since she won a silver and bronze during the 2015-2016 season.
With the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics on the horizon, winning the silver after a disappointing 2016-17 season “means so much” for Channell.
“Especially at home, my home track, my very first track,” she added. “It means the world to me.”
Channell was joined on the podium by Germany’s Jacqueline Loelling, who earned the gold with a time of 1:48.38, and Germany bronze medallist Tina Hermann, who finished in 1:48.65.
The sliders were dealing with wet, rapidly changing conditions Friday morning.
“I took it corner by corner,” Channell said. “You have to, with the conditions today, you don’t even know what’s going to happen under the groove, so to just be able to perform step-by-step and not jump to the next corner — when you’re still in A, you can’t go to B yet — that’s really important.”
Ottawa’s Mirela Rahneva was seventh while Calgary’s Elisabeth Vathje, who won gold at last season’s World Cup stop in Whistler, was eighth.
“The first run was a little shaky but the second one turned out,” said Rahneva. “I think my second was a (personal best) by a lot … so I’m happy with that.”
Men’s and women’s bobsled races were scheduled for later in the day.