opprettet på: 05.03.2012 15:14
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Different day, same result. Like already on the day before, Sarah Hendrickson and Sara Takanashi also dominated the second day of the women's ski jumping World Cup in Zao (JPN). The US American, who already captured the overall title, won the second competition in Japan ahead of the local hero and was in the lead already after the first round - because of the judges' marks. Takanashi jumped on 99.5 m, Hendrickson on 98 m. But while the American got points between 18.5 and 19, the Asian only got between 16 and 17.
"I love her style", Takanashi said in the press conference later, "she jumps great and consistent." Before that she could also not defeat Hendrickson in the final round, with 89.5 m to 94.5 m. At the end Hendrickson was 14.9 points ahead. After Lillehammer, Hinterzarten, Val di Fiemme (2), Ljubno (2) and Zao 24 hours earlier, this was already her eighth win.
"The conditions were a bit easier today than yesterday, but still it was a tough competition", Hendrickson said, tired but satisfied. And when asked what she'll do with all the prize money she won this season - about 30 000 Swiss Francs - she told: "Saving for the future, for school and college."
With her third place today, Austrian Daniela Iraschko secured her second place in the overall World Cup. With 93.5 m and 89.5 m she could not really fight for the win this time. "Sarah and Sara are jumping on a very high level - we will see what the future brings. Oslo is one of my favorite hills, there I won the World Championship title. It can look different there."
Iraschko was surprised by the fact that all three competitions in Zao ended with the same result, "we know how windy it can be here on this facility. At the end everything worked fine - only the inrun track could be better next year."
The fight for the third place in the overall World Cup ranking between Sara Takanashi and Ulrike Graessler (GER) is still open, team USA already won the nation's cup.
Now it's going back to Europe, to the final at the Midtstubakken in Oslo. The trip to Japan was lucrative for some, and instructive for the others. And Anette Sagen, the veteran from Norway who finished sixth, is already looking ahead to next season: "A double-weekend in Japan, in Sapporo."
