Igls, Austria • Junior world skeleton champion Elena Nikitina of Russia beat Noelle Pikus-Pace of Utah to win a women's World Cup skeleton race on Friday that also counted as the European title.

Pikus-Pace, an Eagle Mountain resident, was 0.27 back, and Maria Orlova of Russia trailed Nikitina by 0.60 in third for her first career World Cup podium.

Women's skiing • In Cortina D'ampezzo, Italy, Defending champion Daniela Merighetti of Italy led the only training session for the World Cup, while Lindsey Vonn was third.

Overall World Cup leader Tina Maze was second, 0.22 seconds behind. Vonn has six career wins at Cortina.

Men's skiing • In Wengen, Switzerland, Alexis Pinturault of France used his superior slalom skills to win a World Cup super-combined, while Park City's Ted Ligety skied out.

Ligety, who remains third overall, seemed set for a podium finish until his right ski slipped free making a turn.

Bobsled • In Igls, Austria, Germany's Sandra Kiriasis won her first World Cup in almost two years, earning the European title. Jazmine Fenlator and Aja Evans of the United States were 0.05 back in third.