Australia's leading women's bobsleigh pilot Astrid Loch-Wilkinson has driven to 18th place in a World Cup event in Igls, Austria, keeping herself and brakeman Kylie Reed closely in touch with a place in the line-up for the Torino 2006 Olympic competition.

Loch-Wilkinson produced her best result of the season, just 1.96 seconds behind the race winner Sandra Kiriasis of Germany, to maintain her 18th place on the World Cup standings after three events.

Australia's number two sled of Danielle Lynch and Abby Lewtas placed 27th.

With only two sleds from each country permitted in the Olympic field, Loch-Wilkinson and Reed are effectively in 15th place on the World Cup standings at this point in time, with the top 15 as at January 15 gaining automatic entry into the Games.

The next women's bobsleigh event will be held in the Italian town of Cortina d'Ampezzo on December 16.

Meanwhile, the Australian men's team of pilot Will Alstergren, Joel Maybury, Glenn Manton and Mark Bellamy have finished in 34th place in the 4-man event, 2.50 seconds behind the winning sled of Swiss driver Martin Annen.