Loelling and Tretyakov lead at halfway stage

Germany's Jacqueline Loelling leads the skeleton field at the halfway point at the 2021 World Championships in Altenberg.

The Olympic silver medallist produced two consistent runs, posting the second fastest time in each, to lead with 1:56.74.

Just 0.11 seconds behind is European champion Elena Nikitina, while defending World champion Tina Hermann sits third, 0.24 seconds behind Loelling.

Hermann had registered the 11th quickest first run but produced the quickest effort of the day to shoot herself back into contention, her 58.02s effort three-tenths better than anything produced in Germany.

In the men's event, European champion Alexander Tretyakov ranks at the top of the standings after posting a time of 1.53.30 after his two runs.

But the German duo of Felix Keisinger and Christopher Grotheer are close behind just 0.04 and 0.06 seconds, respectively behind the leader.

The world champions will be crowned when the final two runs in the competition take place on Friday.

Sportsbeat 2021