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CALGARY, Alberta (AP) — Canada's Elisabeth Vathje raced to her first World Cup skeleton victory Friday, winning on her hometown course in only her second career event.
The 20-year-old Vathje edged Britain's Laura Deas bu 0.31 seconds, finishing with a two-run time of 1 minute, 55.31 seconds at Canada Olympic Park. Germany's Tina Hermann was third.
Vathje stood up in the track's outrun, danced and hugged boyfriend Donovan Klassen after completing her second run. Vathje's parents, Jeff and Rita, brother Brandon and friends from her church also were trackside.
"It's incredible," Vathje said. "To be home, to be around these people who have seen me grow up ... it's truly amazing. There was a huge group of people and they were excited to see this in real life, to see what I do and see such great results."
Vathje was second last week in Lake Placid, New York, in her World Cup debut. Olympic champion Elizabeth Yarnold of Britain, the winner in Lake Placid, skipped the race because of dizziness.
Latvia's Martins Dukurs raced to his second straight men's victory, beating brother Tomass Dukurs by 0.90 seconds in 1:51.06.
Matt Antoine of Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, finished sixth. Kyle Tress of Ewing, New Jersey, was 13th, and Stephen Garbett of Parker, Colorado, finished 26th.
In the women's race, Savannah Graybill of Denver, Pennsylvania, was 11th place, and Annie O'Shea of Port Jefferson Station, New York, was 12th.
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