China's Yan Wengang has won his country's first skeleton title at the IBSF Europe Cup in the German city of Konigssee on Friday. The 21-year-old outclassed German Fabian Kuchler by just 0.07 second to grab the maiden title.

In the fifth race of the season, Yan overcame the challenges from the German duo of Fabian Kuchler and Cedric Renner. Incidentally, Kuchler, who had previously won all four Europe Cup events, finished second while Renner came third in the competition. 

Earlier, in the first race at Koenigssee, Kuchler won ahead of Russian Evgeniy Rukosuev and German team-mate Lukas Nydegger. 

On Friday, Yan finished two races with a total time of one minute, 42.85 seconds, edging past Kuchler by only 0.07 seconds. 

The Chinese made history by winning the first skeleton gold on the European continent. 

His compatriot Chen Wenhao was placed ninth. 

In Women's Skeleton, Hannah Neise, 2016 Winter Youth Olympic Games silver medalist, clinched the first place in the first Königssee race ahead of fellow German Janine Becker and Youth Olympic Champion Ashleigh Pittaway of Great Britain. However, in the second race, Janine Becker recorded the best overall time, with Ashleigh Pittaway crossing the finishing line second ahead of Hannah Neise in third. 

The tournament continues on 11th and 12th January next year in Altenberg, Germany where the sixth and seventh races of the season will be held. 

The conclusion and highlight of the winter is then the Europe Cup final, at the same time European Junior Championships, in Sigulda on 26 January 2019.