Hermann celebrated her maiden World Cup success after producing two fine runs in Winterberg last weekend and reigned supreme once again, thanks largely to clocking a track record 51.41 seconds in her final run.

The 23-year-old’s time shaved six tenths of a second off the previous best, set by Marion Thees in the World Championships in February 2011.

It gave her a combined overall time of 1min 43.04sec after she posted 51.63 in her opening run.

Hermann led home a German one-two as she was 1.13 seconds quicker over the two runs than 2012 Youth Games Olympic Champion Jacqueline Lölling, while Marina Gilardoni of Switzerland secured bronze to earn her first-ever podium finish.

Lölling produced the second-best times in both of her attempts, clocking 52.27 before she bettered that with a time of 51.90 with her final effort.

Gilardoni’s performance also saw her become the first Swiss to come in the top three of a skeleton event at a World Cup since Maya Pedersen-Bieri of Switzerland, Olympic champion at Turin 2006, was third in Altenburg, Austria in December 2008.

Lelde Priedulena of Latvia narrowly missed out on a spot on the podium as her combined time of 1:44.64 was only enough for fourth.

Hermann remains the IBSF Skeleton World Cup leader on 660 points, 40 ahead of Lölling.

Britain’s Laura Deas, winner of the opening event of the season, is third on the leaderboard with 561.

Related stories
December 2015: Hermann clinches maiden IBSF World Cup victory in Winterberg
November 2015: World champions dominate men's events at IBSF World Cup in Altenberg
November 2015: Deas earns maiden IBSF World Cup skeleton gold as season gets underway in Altenberg
June 2015: Bobsleigh and skeleton governing body reveal fresh identity with name change and new logo