Nikitina wins World Cup women's skeleton season-opener

Published Dec. 9, 2018 10:19 a.m. ET

SIGULDA, Latvia (AP) — Elena Nikitina of Russia built a sizable lead after the first run and went on to win the season's first World Cup women's skeleton race on Sunday.

Nikitina finished her two trips down the ice in 1 minute, 45.12 seconds. Canada's Elisabeth Maier was second in 1:45.42, and Germany's Tina Hermann was third in 1:45.60.

German sleds took three of the top six spots. The Americans struggled, with Kendall Wesenberg leading the way with an 11th-place finish. Wesenberg was last in the 15-sled field after a mistake in her first run, then rallied with the seventh-fastest time in her second run.

Savannah Graybill was 14th for the U.S.