Only few competitors on start list. Rogelj, Bogataj and Takanashi best in official training.
This winter’s Continental Cup is kicked-off tomorrow in Rovaniemi. Already today two official training rounds were held.
As most teams focus on the World Cup, that will begin next week in Lillehammer, only 18 competitors from 7 countries are on the start list for this CoC and participated in the training. This is a little bit surprising, as many jumpers, that still need Continental Cup points in order to qualify for the World Cups are missing. Also many aspiring but young athletes, that are too young for the World Cup because of the age-rule are not competing there. Only Japan, Russia and Slovenia sent larger teams to Rovaniemi, while France, the Netherlands, USA and the hosting nation Finland have each only one competitors on the list.
Slovenia’s Spela Rogelj performed best in this training with a pair of jumps on 88.5 and 87 meters. Her team-mate Ursa Bogataj jumped just a little shorter (86 and 87.5 m). Nevertheless the farthest jump of the day was made by Japan’s Sara Takanashi. She jumped 90 meters in the second round, after landing already at 79.5 in the first.