From Winterberg, GER
(January 2, 2026) – The weather outside was, in fact, frightful. But for Janine Flock the sliding was so delightful as she won gold in Winterberg.
On a snowy race day that saw the men’s race earlier in the day canceled times were all over the place with many athletes either falling or gaining multiple positions throughout the race. Flock was the third off the top in a windy and snowy first heat and slid to what would eventually be third place after one run, with USA’s Mystique Ro and Great Britain’s Freya Tarbit just .04 and .02 ahead of her respectively.
The second heat had significantly different weather and times dropped for most everyone throughout the field, with some athletes gaining well over a second from their first effort.
Susanne Kreher was the biggest mover in the second heat. First off in the first heat, the German found 1.27 seconds in her second run to take the lead from 21st place, then hold that position for well over ten minutes until eventually being picked off by USA’s Kelly Curtis. Kreher would eventually settle into 12th place with the seventh quickest run in the second heat.
Czechia’s Anna Fernstädt, last season’s silver medalist in Winterberg, entered the second heat in sixth place but put down a huge second run that gave her the lead ahead of Belgium’s Kim Meylemans. That lead held for two sliders until Flock took off for her second run. Flock’s start was consistent, and her slide was the quickest of the day to move to the lead with Tarbit and Ro still to go.
Tarbit was next, and the Brit struggled on her second run as she slid to the 18th quickest time of the heat to fall out of the medals and into what would eventually be sixth place.
Ro was the final athlete off the top. On the hunt for her second career World Cup victory, she put down another top five start and had what was an otherwise consistent slide. But Flock’s experience in Winterberg prevailed, as Ro fell behind the Austrian and into second place, giving Flock the victory and the American silver with Fernstädt bronze.
The win was number 15 for Flock in her career, and her 45th World Cup medal overall in 117 starts.
For Ro, the silver was the fourth in her career and sixth medal overall, while bronze for Fernstädt was her sixth medal in World Cup action.
Italy’s Valentina Margaglio finished just off of the podium in fourth place for her best finish since silver in January 0f 2024 (St. Moritz). Jacqueline Pfeifer was fifth on her home track, while Tarbit slid to sixth.
It was a strong effort overall for the United States. Kendall Wesenberg scored a tenth place finish for her best finish outside of North America since St. Moritz in 2020. Kelly Curtis was one spot back in 11th, while Sara Roderick helped put all four sleds in the second heat in 25th.
Hallie Clarke had a top ten first run but struggled in her second heat on the way to a 17th place finish, three spots ahead of teammate Jane Channell.
Tabitha Stoecker was tied for eighth with Brazil’s Nicole Silvera with Amelia Coltman 18th for Great Britain.
With her win, Flock takes the lead in the World Cup standings by 16 points over Meylemans with two races to go in the season. Pfeifer is third, Fernstädt up to fourth, and Stoecker fifth.
Results:
| Pos | Name | Nation | Bib | Start 1 | Start 2 | Run 1 | Run 2 | Total |
| 1 | Janine Flock | AUT | 3 | 5.52 | 5.52 | 60.38 | 59.84 | 2:00.22 |
| 2 | Mystique Ro | USA | 14 | 5.31 | 5.32 | 60.34 | 60.26 | 2:00.60 |
| 3 | Anna Fernstädt | CZE | 10 | 5.57 | 5.52 | 60.85 | 59.98 | 2:00.83 |
| 4 | Valentina Margaglio | ITA | 28 | 5.32 | 5.30 | 60.72 | 60.19 | 2:00.91 |
| 5 | Jacqueline Pfeifer | GER | 2 | 5.50 | 5.56 | 60.58 | 60.44 | 2:01.02 |
| 6 | Freya Tarbit | GBR | 15 | 5.41 | 5.50 | 60.36 | 60.86 | 2:01.22 |
| 7 | Kim Meylemans | BEL | 9 | 5.34 | 5.34 | 61.05 | 60.30 | 2:01.35 |
| 8 | Nicole Silveira | BRA | 13 | 5.64 | 5.54 | 61.17 | 60.54 | 2:01.71 |
| 8 | Tabitha Stoecker | GBR | 6 | 5.25 | 5.29 | 61.11 | 60.60 | 2:01.71 |
| 10 | Kendall Wesenberg | USA | 29 | 5.65 | 5.68 | 60.98 | 60.83 | 2:01.81 |
| 11 | Kelly Curtis | USA | 17 | 5.40 | 5.40 | 61.29 | 60.59 | 2:01.88 |
| 12 | Susanne Kreher | GER | 1 | 5.52 | 5.39 | 61.60 | 60.33 | 2:01.93 |
| 13 | Julia Erlacher | AUT | 21 | 5.49 | 5.25 | 61.74 | 60.22 | 2:01.96 |
| 14 | Dan Zhao | CHN | 20 | 5.65 | 5.36 | 61.47 | 60.53 | 2:02.00 |
| 15 | Alessandra Fumagalli | ITA | 18 | 5.45 | 5.40 | 61.47 | 60.54 | 2:02.01 |
| 15 | Corinna Leipold | GER | 5 | 5.42 | 5.43 | 61.21 | 60.80 | 2:02.01 |
| 17 | Hallie Clarke | CAN | 16 | 5.47 | 5.54 | 61.11 | 60.95 | 2:02.06 |
| 18 | Amelia Coltman | GBR | 8 | 5.45 | 5.41 | 61.50 | 60.70 | 2:02.20 |
| 19 | Hannah Neise | GER | 7 | 5.57 | 5.60 | 61.34 | 60.90 | 2:02.24 |
| 20 | Jane Channell | CAN | 12 | 5.49 | 5.37 | 61.46 | 60.85 | 2:02.31 |
| 21 | Yuxi Li | CHN | 19 | 5.47 | 5.40 | 61.47 | 60.92 | 2:02.39 |
| 22 | Sara Schmied | SUI | 11 | 5.39 | 5.34 | 61.89 | 60.93 | 2:02.82 |
| 23 | Darta Zunte | EST | 22 | 5.56 | 5.47 | 61.55 | 61.28 | 2:02.83 |
| 24 | Kimberley Bos | NED | 4 | 5.41 | 5.36 | 61.78 | 61.07 | 2:02.85 |
| 25 | Sara Roderick | USA | 27 | 5.49 | 5.52 | 62.07 | 61.30 | 2:03.37 |
| 26 | Annia Unterscheider | AUT | 25 | 5.69 | 62.33 | |||
| 27 | Darta Neimane | LAT | 26 | 5.38 | 62.43 | |||
| 28 | Marta Andzane | LAT | 24 | 6.05 | 62.56 | |||
| 29 | Aline Pelckmans | BEL | 23 | 5.71 | 62.72 |