Sara Takanashi won the World Cup opening in Lillehammer ahead of Sarah Hendrickson and Anette Sagen.
The weather conditions in Lillehammer were much better today then during yesterday’s mixed team event and so the first individual competition of this winter was really a nice and fair one. Many athletes showed up in a really impressive form and so this competition was held on a really high level – with a tough and thrilling fight for victory. There were 57 athletes on the start list for this World Cup, also that’s a new record. And thus the first qualification in the young history of the Ladies’ World Cup was held right ahead of the competition.
Winner of the competition came Japan’s Sara Takanashi with a pair of jumps of 96.0 and 98.0 meters. After the first round she was still third, but finally she was able to celebrate her second World Cup win. “That was a perfect weekend for me. Yesterday I was happy about being on the podium together with my team-mates and today I am the winner. My jumps were good and so were the conditions today. I am so happy and now I am really excited about the upcoming competitions in Sochi”, she said
Second came last year’s overall World Cup winner Sarah Hendrickson, who jumped 98.5 and 95.0 meters and was still leading after the first round. “After that windy and rainy day yesterday it was a pleasure to see the sun shining when we arrived at the hill. It was a perfect day for ski jumping and I am absolutely satisfied with my performance”, she said.
Anette Sagen, who already won yesterday’s mixed competition together with the Norwegian team, came third with jumps of 99.5 and 97.0 meters. “Of course this was a great day for me at the hill, I managed to show three good jumps. I was a bit excited after my fall yesterday, but everything worked fine for me. I think that in general this competition was on a very high level. I hope, the audience appreciated it as well”, she said
The result of this competition was confused a lot by the wind and gate compensation rule, and so Germany’s Carina Vogt came only fourth, although she jumped 100.0 and 99.5 meters. Italy’s Evelyn Insam even set a new official ladies’ hill record with 103.0 meters in the first round, but due to point subtractions she only took the fourth round rank. With a nice 96.5 meter jump in the second, she finally came fifth. Austria’s Daniela Iraschko took the sixth place with jumps of 95.5 and 93.5 meters.
Canada’s Alexandra Pretorius, winner of the Grand Prix competition in Courchevel this summer, was disqualified due to a non-compliant suit.
RESULTS AND STANDINGS:
Results after the 1st round »
Final results of the competition »
Current overall World Cup standings »
Current Nations Cup standings »
(Edited 2012-11-24 18:10:00)