Canada’s Alexandra Pretorius won the Grand Prix opening ahead of Sara Takanashi and Katja Pozun.
Canada’s Alexandra Pretorius won the first Grand Prix competition of this summer, that was held today in the evening in Hinterzarten, Germany. This result for sure awakens memories, because already in the last year Pretorius won the Grand Prix opening, that was by then held in Courchevel, France. Then and today the weather was hot and sunny, but it seems so, that these conditions do not bother her: “It is really hot inside your suit, but when you jump you don’t notice it at all”, she explained. About the mixed-team competition, that will be held tomorrow she added: “We have a very good team and all are jumping very well so I am excited for tomorrow’s competition!”
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fot. Stefan Diaz
Pretorius won the competition with jumps of 103.5 and 102.5 points and finally scored 4.7 points more as second ranked Sara Takanashi from Japan. Last winter’s overall World Cup winner jumped 104.0 and 103.5 meters and so in total further than Pretorius, but due to low judges marks for her first attempt she was not able to beat the Canadian. “I am not satisfied with my jumping today. I had some problems with my timing and I failed to land telemark-style. I want to work on that until the next competition”, said Takanashi.
The third place was taken by Katja Pozun from Slovenia who showed a pair of jumps of 100.0 and 97.5 meters. After finishing in the Top Ten in all of last winter’s World Cups, but never making it to the podium this result she was totally happy about today’s result: “I am very satisfied now, because in the beginning of summer I had some ups and downs”, she said.
Maja Vtic jumped 100.0 and 97.0 meters and so another Slovenian took the fourth place. Places five and six were taken by Jacqueline Seifriedsberger from Austria, who jumped 99.0 and 97.0 meters, and by Yuki Ito from Japan, who showed a pair of jumps of 98.0 and 96.5 meters.
Best jumper of the hosting nation Germany came Svenja Würth on the seventh place. She was only fifteenth after the first round when she jumped 97.5 meters. With a strong 100.5 meter jump in the final round eventually advanced to this position. Canada’s Atsuko Tanaka did it the other way round: She fell back from place six to 22 with a totally screwed-up second attempt.
A mixed-team competition will be held tomorrow here in Hinterzarten, the next individual Grand Prix is scheduled in Courchevel in the mid of August.
RESULTS AND STANDINGS:
Results after the 1st round »
Final results of the competition »
Current overall Grand Prix standings »