From Whistler, CAN
Elisabeth Vathje came into her third year on the IBSF World Cup looking for the form that she showed in her rookie season. After a very forgettable second season Vathje came back with a vengeance, dominating the first race of the 2016/2017 IBSF World Cup.
Vathje set the fast time in both heats, and was the only slider in the second run to break 55 seconds. Her start was significantly stronger than Jacqueline Lölling, and Lölling couldn’t make up the difference. The German had to settle for silver. Lölling’s teammate, Tina Hermann, finished with a bronze medal.
Lizzy Yarnold made her return to skeleton after a season off in great form. The British slider finished fourth, .01 off the bronze pace set by Hermann. Canadian Mirela Rahneva set the start record in her second run on the way to a fifth place finish.
Annie O’Shea was the top-finishing American with a sixth place finish, tied with British slider Laura Deas. Weather may have played a part in the middle part of the start list. O’Shea, Lelde Priedulena and others who started between eighth and 12th slid into the wind and snow. The end result were much better runs for sliders who were in that middle group.
O’Shea’s teammates Savannah Graybill and Kendall Wesenberg finished tenth and 19th, respectively. Jane Channell finished 16th for Canada.
Results:
| Pos | Name | Nation | Bib | Start 1 | Start 2 | Run 1 | Run 2 | Total |
| 1 | Elisabeth Vathje | CAN | 6 | 5.07 | 4.95 | 54.52 | 54.73 | 1:49.25 |
| 2 | Jacqueline Lölling | GER | 7 | 5.26 | 5.19 | 54.76 | 55.33 | 1:50.09 |
| 3 | Tina Hermann | GER | 14 | 5.08 | 5.02 | 54.99 | 55.12 | 1:50.11 |
| 4 | Lizzy Yarnold | GBR | 18 | 5.02 | 4.97 | 55.03 | 55.09 | 1:50.12 |
| 5 | Mirela Rahneva | CAN | 24 | 4.92 | 4.79 | 55.14 | 55.44 | 1:50.58 |
| 6 | Annie O’Shea | USA | 12 | 5.06 | 4.99 | 55.48 | 55.18 | 1:50.66 |
| 6 | Laura Deas | GBR | 9 | 4.94 | 4.89 | 55.30 | 55.36 | 1:50.66 |
| 8 | Anna Fernstädt | GER | 5 | 5.21 | 5.18 | 55.32 | 55.36 | 1:50.68 |
| 9 | Lelde Priedulena | LAT | 8 | 5.08 | 4.96 | 55.44 | 55.31 | 1:50.75 |
| 10 | Savannah Graybill | USA | 22 | 5.25 | 5.17 | 55.39 | 55.54 | 1:50.93 |
| 11 | Janine Flock | AUT | 11 | 5.22 | 5.11 | 55.38 | 55.63 | 1:51.01 |
| 12 | Yulia Kanakina | RUS | 3 | 4.90 | 4.93 | 55.20 | 55.90 | 1:51.10 |
| 13 | Maria Orlova | RUS | 23 | 4.93 | 4.91 | 55.63 | 55.48 | 1:51.11 |
| 14 | Marina Gilardoni | SUI | 13 | 4.94 | 4.88 | 55.35 | 55.93 | 1:51.28 |
| 15 | Takako Oguchi | JPN | 21 | 5.05 | 5.01 | 55.63 | 55.78 | 1:51.41 |
| 16 | Jane Channell | CAN | 15 | 4.88 | 4.92 | 55.74 | 55.72 | 1:51.46 |
| 17 | Elena Nikitina | RUS | 16 | 4.96 | 4.88 | 55.89 | 55.66 | 1:51.55 |
| 18 | Joska le Conte | NED | 19 | 5.01 | 5.02 | 55.53 | 56.12 | 1:51.65 |
| 19 | Kendall Wesenberg | USA | 17 | 5.14 | 5.13 | 55.89 | 56.59 | 1:52.48 |
| 20 | Kimberley Bos | NED | 20 | 5.04 | 56.14 | |||
| 21 | Jaclyn Narracott | AUS | 2 | 5.11 | 56.48 | |||
| 22 | Katie Tannenbaum | ISV | 4 | 5.23 | 56.67 | |||
| 23 | Rayoung Mun | KOR | 25 | 5.18 | 56.76 | |||
| 24 | Maria Montejano | ESP | 1 | 5.12 | 57.85 | |||
| DNF | Kim Meylemans | BEL | 10 | 5.13 | 5.02 | 55.41 | DNF |
