Japan’s Sara Takanashi claimed her ninth consecutive International Ski Federation (FIS) Ski Jumping World Cup victory after coming out on top in Hinzenbach, Austria today.
The 19-year-old’s triumph, achieved with jumps of 93.5 metres and 93m for a total of 257.2 points, sees Takanashi leapfrog Polish ski jumping legend Adam Małysz into third on the all-time list of most World Cup wins.
Her tally of 40 from 67 starts puts her behind Finland’s Matti Nykänen on 46 and Austria’s Gregor Schlierenzauer on 53.
Defending overall World Cup champion Daniela Iraschko-Stolz of Austria finished second for the fifth time this season with 238.9 points, while Norway’s Maren Lundby was third with 238.5.
Takanashi now has 1,080 points in the overall World Cup standings and has a commanding lead of 351 ahead of Iraschko-Stolz with eight rounds remaining.
“I can feel that I improve with every jump a little bit,” said Takanashi, who has now won 10 of 11 events this season.
“I want to win the overall World Cup.”
Another competition on the same hill is scheduled for tomorrow.
Meanwhile in Oslo, Slovenia won the men’s team ski jumping event after edging out host nation Norway.
Led by individual World Cup leader Peter Prevc and his brother Domen, the four-man Slovenian team scored 977.7 points after two rounds, compared to world champions Norway’s 945.3 and Japan’s 927.2.
The Prevc brothers, who competed alongside Jurij Tepeš and Robert Kranjec, were two of only four jumpers who reached 130m.
Norway lead the nation standings after 21 rounds of competition, with Germany second and Slovenia third.
“I am very satisfied with my jumping and the performance of my teammates here at Holmenkollen,” Domen Prevc said.
“It’s obvious you have to trust your teammates during competitions – if you don’t, you won’t achieve much.
“I haven’t thought much about tomorrow yet, but of course I will do my best.”
The individual competition in Oslo will be held tomorrow.
- By Daniel Etchells
- Republished with permission insidethegames.biz