Skeleton pilot Tina Hermann is close to her second victory in the overall World Cup. At the season finale on Friday (February 17, 2023) in Sigulda, Latvia, the 30-year-old was in the lead at halftime. Her main competitor in the fight for the crystal ball failed.
On the 1,200 meter long track, Hermann didn’t get off to a good start in the first round, but she was able to shine with her outstanding skills as a pilot. The 30-year-old from WSV Königssee hit the curves cleanly and gradually increased the speed. At times she raced down the ice channel at 118.4 km/h and only had to correct a few things. Her lead over Canadian Mirela Rahneva is 17 hundredths of a second. Briton Brogan Crowley is currently in third place (+0.28 seconds).
Bos only in eighth place
Hermann’s closest pursuer in the overall World Cup, Kimberley Bos, didn’t get a good first run. The Dutchwoman made a slight mistake in the first corner and lost time. With another touch of the boards in the middle part of the lane, she failed to put pressure on Hermann before the second run. In eighth place, 0.55 seconds behind Hermann before the second heat, Bos needs either a small miracle or a major blunder from her competitor to knock her off the throne.
Kreher and Neise have to stretch themselves
Susanne Kreher is one place ahead of Bos. The surprise world champion got off to a promising start, but was unable to develop the speed she had hoped for in the ice channel. Your gap to the podium is already two tenths of a second. Hannah Neise is currently in ninth place. The Olympic champion improved after a mixed start, but is already more than half a second behind the leaders and almost three tenths of a second behind the podium.
Close race for the overall World Cup
Before the competition that closes the season, Hermann has 1,397 World Cup points under his belt. Her lead over defending champion Bos is 27 points. In theory, Rahneva (1,339 points) and Kreher (1,300) still have chances of overall victory.
For Hermann it would be the second success in the overall standings after 2015/16. In the past five years, she had finished second five times in a row. The four-time individual world champion should therefore also forget the somewhat disappointing World Championships in January with fifth place.