Jacqueline Pfeifer shines: Skeleton team full of hope before Cortina!

Jacqueline Pfeifer shines: Skeleton team full of hope before Cortina!

On November 5th, 2025 there is reason to be happy in German skeleton sport: The talented Jacqueline Pfeifer from RSG Hochsauerland has qualified for the Skeleton World Cup team. Her impressive performance at the selection races in Lillehammer, where she achieved a win and a second place, showed the potential that the Bundesliga winner has in her the Sauerland courier reported.

After the races in Winterberg were completed, Pfeifer was only used as a forerunner, which should not cloud her preparations for the upcoming competitions. Olympic champion Hannah Neise from BSC Winterberg has already secured a place in the team after taking third place in the overall World Cup last winter.

Duel for last place

An exciting head-to-head race is emerging between Felix Seibel from BRC Hallenberg and Lukas Nydegger from RC Berchtesgaden, who are fighting for the last place in the men's team. Both athletes fought a thrilling duel in Lillehammer and Winterberg, achieving identical results: a second and a third place each. On the first day in Winterberg, Nydegger was only seven hundredths faster, but Seibel was able to shine on the second day with a lead of over seven tenths, which further heated up the situation and kept the spectators on the edge of their seats.

National coach Christian Baude reacted quickly and is planning a direct duel between Seibel and Nydegger on November 15th in Cortina d’Ampezzo. This duel not only serves to determine the last place, but also to get to know the new Olympic track. Seibel hopes to gain a decisive advantage through a clever choice of runners in Italy in order to consolidate his place in the team.

A look at the skeleton

Now what does this have to do with skeletons? Quite simply: Skeleton athletes have to make sure that the technology of their body - i.e. their skeleton - functions optimally. When talking about the human body, it should also be said that the human skeleton consists of 206 bones, divided into the axial and appendicular skeletons. The former part consists of the spine, the skull and the ribcage, which not only offers protection but also ensures stability and the possibility of movement.

Smooth movement in skeleton sports requires proper synchronization of the muscles with the skeleton. The movement function of the skeleton is made possible by the connection between the muscles and bones. This dynamic is extremely important in order to optimally exploit speed and technique, which can literally make the difference between victory and defeat.

So everything is linked together: the bone structure, the movement limits and the competition preparations, every step counts. And so in Cortina d'Ampezzo it's not just about points, but also about the finer details of body control and technique, which allow the athletes to show off their talents impressively.

Finally, it remains to be said that the IBSF Bob & Skeleton World Cup in January in Winterberg is a highlight that all sports enthusiasts can look forward to. The athletes' performances are determined not only by their technique, but also by their endurance and will - and the next few days will show who can prevail in the specially equipped skeleton of competitive sports.