PYEONGCHANG, South Korea — In a thrilling start to the season, Amelia Coltman from Britain clinched victory in the inaugural women’s skeleton World Cup race on Saturday. Following closely behind, Austria’s Janine Flock secured second place, while Brazil’s Nicole Rocha Silveira took home third.

This victory marked a significant milestone for both Coltman and Silveira, as it was their first time standing on a World Cup podium. Meanwhile, Flock achieved an impressive feat, marking her 47th top-three finish throughout her World Cup career.

In the men’s competition, Christopher Grotheer of Germany, the current Olympic champion, showcased his skills by winning the season opener. His British teammates, Marcus Wyatt and Matt Weston, came in second and third, respectively.

Among the top American competitors, both Katie Uhlaender and Austin Florian finished in 14th place. Uhlaender, who is striving for a sixth Olympic appearance in 2026, ended her race in that position, as did Florian in the men’s event.

Two additional World Cup skeleton races are scheduled for Sunday on the 2018 Olympic track. Following this, the skeleton series will travel to Yanqing, China, the following weekend.

Additionally, the World Cup bobsled races, typically held alongside skeleton events, are set to kick off in Altenberg, Germany, on the weekend of December 7-8. Both the bobsled and skeleton seasons will continue until the world championships, which are slated for March in Lake Placid, New York.

The World Cup luge season is set to begin on November 30 in Lillehammer, Norway.