Kelly Curtis finishes second in World Cup skeleton race, enhancing her hopes of US Olympic spot

Kelly Curtis finishes second in World Cup skeleton race, enhancing her hopes of US Olympic spot | iNFOnews.ca
Kelly Curtis of the U.S. competes in the Women's Skeleton World Cup in St. Moritz, Switzerland, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026. (Mayk Wendt/Keystone via AP)

ST. MORITZ, Switzerland (AP) — Kelly Curtis took a big step toward a U.S. Olympic team spot on Friday, finishing second in a World Cup women’s skeleton race for her best-ever finish on the circuit.

Kim Meylemans of Belgium won the race in 2 minutes, 21.01 seconds. Curtis was second in 2:22.12 for her second career World Cup medal — she had a bronze on her home track at Lake Placid, New York, in December 2022 — and Nicole Rocha Silveira of Brazil was third in 2:22.18.

Canada’s Hallie Clarke finished seventh in 2:22.52 on the same track where she won the junior world title last year. The 21-year-old from Belleville, Ont., became the youngest women’s skeleton world champion in history at 19 at the 2024 IBSF world championships in Winterberg, Germany.

Curtis made a huge move in the second heat; she was ninth in the field after the first heat of the day, then had the second-best time in the second run.

The silver medal pushed Curtis — who was on the Olympic team in 2022 — past world championship silver medalist Mystique Ro for the top spot among Americans in the World Cup standings this season. USA Bobsled and Skeleton should finalize its team for next month’s Milan Cortina Olympics next weekend, with the formal announcement of its roster on Jan. 19.

Ro was 11th on Friday in the women’s singles race, then teamed with Austin Florian to tie for fifth in a mixed race later in the day. Ro and Florian combined to win the world mixed title last season.

China’s Dan Zhao and Zheng Yin won the mixed race in 2:26.16, edging Germany’s Susanne Kreher and Axel Jungk (2:26.25). Italy’s Alessandra Fumagalli and Amedeo Bagnis were third in 2:26.45.

In the men’s race Friday, World Cup leader and defending world champion Matt Weston of Britain prevailed in 2:16.58. Bagnis was second in 2:17.49 and Zheng was third in 2:17.56.

Up next

Bobsled: Women’s monobob, two-man World Cup races Saturday at St. Moritz.

Skeleton: Men’s, women’s and mixed World Cup races on Jan. 16 at Altenberg, Germany.

Luge: Men’s singles, women’s singles World Cup races on Saturday at Winterberg, Germany.

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AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

Kelly Curtis finishes second in World Cup skeleton race, enhancing her hopes of US Olympic spot | iNFOnews.ca
Kelly Curtis of the U.S. reacts after placing second in the Women’s Skeleton World Cup in St. Moritz, Switzerland, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026. (Mayk Wendt/Keystone via AP)
Kelly Curtis finishes second in World Cup skeleton race, enhancing her hopes of US Olympic spot | iNFOnews.ca
From left, second-placed Kelly Curtis of the U.S., winner Kim Meylemans of Belgium and third placed Nicole Rocha Silveira of Brazil react on the podium of the Women’s Skeleton World Cup in St. Moritz, Switzerland, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026. (Mayk Wendt/Keystone via AP)

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