Skeleton athlete Jane Channell wins World Cup bronze

North Vancouver-born Jane Channell won a bronze in skeleton, her first-ever World Cup medal, at Friday’s BMW IBSF World Cup race in Winterberg, Germany.

The 27-year-old’s combined time over two runs was one-minute 58.75 seconds. Two Germans beat her; Tina Hermann won the event with a time of one-minute 57.87 seconds and Jacqueline Loelling stopped the clock exactly four-tenths behind for silver.

Jane Channell of Canada starts during her third run in the women's skeleton race at the Bob and Skeleton World Championships in Winterberg, Germany, Saturday, March 7, 2015. (AP Photo/Jens Meyer)

Jane Channell during her third run in the women’s skeleton race at the Bobsleigh and Skeleton World Championships in Winterberg, Germany, Saturday, March 7, 2015. (AP Photo/Jens Meyer)

According to Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton Channell joined the National Development Team in 2013. She’s been racing in the big leagues (IBSF World Cup) since January 2014. Her best World Cup finish prior to Friday was 7th, accomplished twice last season and as recently as last week in Altenberg, Germany.

“I’m more confident going into this year on the World Cup circuit. We’re revisiting tracks that were new to me last year so I’m able to build off what I have already learned,” said Channell in a Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton release.

Channell was fourth at 2015 World Championships in March.