Loelling becomes youngest female world champion in skeleton

Published Feb. 25, 2017 9:28 a.m. ET

KOENIGSSEE, Germany (AP) European champion Jacqueline Loelling edged Olympic champion Tina Hermann to win her first skeleton world championship title on Saturday.

Loelling - at age 22 the youngest ever female world champion in skeleton - was quickest in two of the three runs over two days to beat German teammate Hermann by 0.25 seconds.

Loelling says, ''I'm lost for words right now. It feels great. I didn't expect to win, though I had perhaps hoped a little bit.''

The second run was canceled on Friday due to inclement weather so the title was decided with the remaining three.

Britain's Lizzy Yarnold was third, 0.73 back, ahead of Germany's Anna Fernstaedt, Belgium's Kim Meylemans and Canada's Elisa Vathje.