According to the live broadcast of Latvian Television Channel 7, Steel will be Latvia’s representative at the upcoming Beijing Olympics in February. In the rankings of the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation (IBSF), she was 35th before the match, two places higher than Dart Zunt, who was strong in the European Cup and Intercontinental Cup this season.
Steel started with an awkward second number in St. Moritz, as it is believed that it is better to start at the end of this natural track. The Latvian completed the track in one minute and 11.15 seconds, showing the second result at that time. Out of the next 23 athletes, 19 were faster than Steel, so the Latvian finished 21st in the World Cup.
The fastest in the first race – in one minute and 8.72 seconds – was performed by the Australian Jacqueline Narakota, 0.17 seconds behind the Dutchman Kimberley Bosa, but another 0.27 seconds was lost by the Austrian Janine Flock. Steel was 2.43 seconds slower than an Australian and was two hundredths of a second short of a second run.
25 athletes take part in the competition, 16 of whom are fighting for the continental championship medals.
The Latvian representative did not make the second race in the first two stages, which took place in the 22nd and 23rd positions, respectively. In Altenberg she won the 17th and 19th place, in the middle of both stages in Winterberg – 22nd place, in Sigulda she took the 21st place, but in another stage of Winterberg – the 17th place.
In the afternoon, the men will compete for the European Championship medals.
There will be a bobsleigh competition for two-man crews on Saturday and four for Sunday.
Since 2006, the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation (IBSF) has been organizing the World Cup stages together, distributing five sets of medals in one stage – a skeleton for ladies and gentlemen, a bobsleigh for men in doubles and fours, and a bobsled for two.
The end of the season is scheduled for the Beijing Olympics in February.
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