From Altenberg, GER
Feb. 11, 2021 – Jacqueline Lölling has had a 2020/2021 season that many sliders would envy, but for her has been relatively disappointing. The German slider had three podium finishes over seven races to finish the season in fourth place. She started the season by missing the podium for three straight events, the first time that’s ever happened. That said, she also finished her World Cup season with a gold medal in Königssee, so her form was there by the end of the season.
With some of that momentum on her side, Lölling is the overnight leader in Altenberg, two runs away from her second individual World Championship title. Lölling, the 2017 world champion, trailed Elena Nikitina by .07 after one run. While Nikitina’s second run was a bit bumpier than her first, Lölling showed her traditionally great form to move ahead of the “Bobsled Federation of Russia” athlete, despite a slower start Lölling found all sorts of time at the bottom to take the lead by .11 over Nikitina, who sits second.
The biggest mover of the second heat was Germany’s Tina Hermann, the defending champion. Hermann struggled in her first heat and found herself 11th going into the second run. That second run was outstanding, .3 faster than anyone else in either heat and nearly a full second faster than her first run. Her effort put her in medal contention in third place, only .13 out of second and .24 out of the lead.
American Katie Uhlaender, in her first World Championships since 2016, threw down two very consistent runs to finish the first day of sliding in fourth place. She was fifth after the first heat and finds herself in the hunt for a world championship medal since the opening heat of the 2013 St. Moritz championships.
The “Bobsled Federation of Russia” placed two sliders in the top five, with Alina Tararychenkova having the two slides of her life to move into fifth place, .23 ahead of Sophia Griebel in sixth.
The United States’ Kendall Wesenberg will enter the second day of sliding in 16th place after struggling to find speed in her second heat as the snow fell in Altenberg. Teammate Sara Roderick, in just her second senior level race, finished the first day of sliding in 24th. Roderick’s second run was .41 faster than her first.
Jane Channell finished the second heat in eighth place with the third quickest start of the competition. The Canadian is only .03 behind Czechia’s Anna Fernstädt going into the third heat. Teammate Elisabeth Maier struggled to find her rhythm and will spend the overnight in 19th place.
Great Britain’s women struggled to find speed in Germany. Ashleigh Pittaway was the top British slider in 13th place. Olympic bronze medalist Laura Deas will enter the third heat in 19th place, while Brogan Crowley sits 23rd.
Results:
| Pos | Name | Nation | Bib | Start 1 | Start 2 | Run 1 | Run 2 | Total |
| 1 | Jacqueline Lölling | GER | 7 | 5.94 | 5.84 | 58.39 | 58.35 | 1:56.74 |
| 2 | Elena Nikitina | BFR | 8 | 5.43 | 5.38 | 58.32 | 58.53 | 1:56.85 |
| 3 | Tina Hermann | GER | 5 | 5.76 | 5.75 | 58.96 | 58.02 | 1:56.98 |
| 4 | Katie Uhlaender | USA | 3 | 5.67 | 5.63 | 58.62 | 58.83 | 1:57.45 |
| 5 | Alina Tararychenkova | BFR | 23 | 5.63 | 5.60 | 58.80 | 58.69 | 1:57.49 |
| 6 | Sophia Griebel | GER | 24 | 5.68 | 5.70 | 58.80 | 58.92 | 1:57.72 |
| 7 | Anna Fernstädt | CZE | 10 | 5.98 | 6.01 | 58.90 | 58.89 | 1:57.79 |
| 8 | Jane Channell | CAN | 1 | 5.53 | 5.49 | 58.86 | 58.96 | 1:57.82 |
| 9 | Hannah Neise | GER | 11 | 5.91 | 6.00 | 58.52 | 59.34 | 1:57.86 |
| 10 | Valentina Margaglio | ITA | 13 | 5.38 | 5.37 | 58.91 | 59.08 | 1:57.99 |
| 11 | Kim Meylemans | BEL | 9 | 5.60 | 5.59 | 59.12 | 58.97 | 1:58.09 |
| 12 | Yulia Kanakina | BFR | 15 | 5.48 | 5.49 | 58.87 | 59.33 | 1:58.20 |
| 13 | Ashleigh Pittaway | GBR | 18 | 5.73 | 5.76 | 59.12 | 59.12 | 1:58.24 |
| 14 | Kimberley Bos | NED | 6 | 5.67 | 5.62 | 59.10 | 59.62 | 1:58.72 |
| 15 | Janine Flock | AUT | 4 | 5.72 | 5.72 | 59.72 | 59.27 | 1:58.99 |
| 16 | Kendall Wesenberg | USA | 21 | 5.89 | 5.94 | 59.46 | 59.89 | 1:59.35 |
| 17 | Nicole Silveira | BRA | 22 | 5.74 | 5.77 | 60.08 | 59.28 | 1:59.36 |
| 18 | Laura Deas | GBR | 12 | 5.55 | 5.58 | 60.00 | 59.45 | 1:59.45 |
| 19 | Elisabeth Maier | CAN | 14 | 5.57 | 5.56 | 59.77 | 59.91 | 1:59.68 |
| 20 | Agathe Bessard | FRA | 20 | 6.07 | 6.04 | 60.09 | 59.60 | 1:59.69 |
| 21 | Endija Terauda | LAT | 16 | 5.91 | 5.91 | 59.98 | 59.85 | 1:59.83 |
| 22 | Alessia Crippa | ITA | 17 | 5.65 | 5.74 | 59.50 | 60.39 | 1:59.89 |
| 23 | Brogan Crowley | GBR | 19 | 5.54 | 5.52 | 60.27 | 60.20 | 2:00.47 |
| 24 | Sara Roderick | USA | 2 | 5.61 | 5.62 | 60.77 | 60.36 | 2:01.13 |
