Sara Takanashi and Yuki Ito delivered a double victory for Japan at the opening of the FIS World Cup Ladies Ski Jumping in Lillehammer. Last years world cup overall winner Sara Takanashi performed the longest jumps in both rounds with 95,0 and 99,5 meters, scoring 271,3 points.

Takanashi said: „It is the start of a new season and I was able to perform very good jumps and to achieve a great result. I am very happy about that. The level of ladies ski jumping is getting higher and higher so I also have to get better. We still have great events coming up this season like the World Championships and I need to stay focused.“

Ito not fully satisfied
19,9 points behind team mate Yuki Ito completed the perfect start for the Japanese team with 94,5 and 92,5 meters. Ito stated: „All in all I am very happy with my performance. But my second jump was a little late. So there are still some details I need to work on.“ On third place Germany´s Anna Rupprecht took her first ever World Cup podium with two jumps to 90,5 meters and 243,8 points. 

Rupprecht happy
Rupprecht said: „Right now I am feeling very good. It was a great day. My jumps where solid with still some room for improvement. Now I can´t wait to call my mom.“

Mixed feelings in Austrian team
While Jaqueline Seifriedsberger and Daniela Iraschko-Stolz showed a descent performance for the Austrian team, finishing 4th and 6th, team mates Eva Pinkelnig and Chiara Hölzl failed to qualify for the final round. Maja Vtic finished 5th and was the best Slovenian athlete. Katharina Althaus and Svenja Würth came in 7th and 9th and put a ribbon on a good German perfromance. Russia´s Irina Avvakumova can already look forward to her home ground competition next week in Nizhny Tagil after the 8th place in Lillehammer.

Solid comeback for Hendrickson
Sarah Hendrickson finished her World Cup comeback on 11th place and was the only US girl to qualify fort he final round, Lucile Morat celebrated a great World Cup debut on 12th place. Elena Runggaldier came in 14th and was the best Italien jumper. Romania´s Daniela Haralambie and Julia Kykkänen from Finland secured a couple of points for their nations on places 25 and 28.

Source: fis-ski.com