Michelle Steele has slipped back to number five in the world after finishing in 13th place in a World Cup in Igls, Austria.

Steele, who won Australia's first skeleton medal last weekend recorded a combined time of one minute 52.88 seconds, 0.99 of a second behind race winner Anja Huber of Germany.

World Cup leader Katie Uhlaender of the United States was second, seven hundredths of a second behind the winner, and Michelle Kelly of Canada was third.

Olympic Winter Institute team member Emma Lincoln-Smith finished in 17th place, 1.42 seconds behind the winner, while Melissa Hoar was 22nd in what was only her second race since returning from injury.

In a remarkable performance, Huber was lying in ninth place after the first run, but then unleashed the fastest run of the day to move up to the top of the podium.

Steele dropped one place to fifth on the World Cup standings after what was only her second World Cup result outside the top ten.

Uhlaender continues the lead the individual standings after four victories and one second placing from the season's five events.

She has amassed 490 points, 130 clear of team-mate Noelle Pikus-Pace on 260. Steele has 248 points.

Australia remains in third place on the Nations' Cup standings.

The three-member OWI team will compete next weekend in the 2007 World Skeleton Championships in St Moritz, Switzerland.