The final test for the World Championships takes place in Ljubno: Only a few days before the World Championships the ladies' have their last World Cup competitions before the major event this weekend. With sunshine and a great crowd of spectators, Japanese Sara Takanashi lived up to her role as favorite and took the win on Saturday. Sarah Hendrickson (USA) and Coline Mattel (FRA) shared the podium with her as second and third.
Like already last year, when Ljubno hosted its first World Cup, the Slovenian audience also showed its enthusiasm this weekend. About 4000 spectators saw an exciting competition under perfect conditions. Once again, Japanese Sara Takanashi was the winner and celebrated her third win in a row, the seventh this season. "I'm extremely happy about this win and that I can show such good jumps right now. Of course I want to show my best performance again tomorrow", said the winner, who showed the longest jump in both rounds with 88.5 m and 88 m. With her total of 225.1 points, she came in 10.9 points ahead of second placed athlete and clearly won the competition.
Also US American Sarah Hendrickson was happy with today's result. She jumped on 85 m in the first round and defend her second place in the final with 83.5 m (214.2 points): "I'm really very satisfied because I could show two good jumps. My goal for tomorrow is to focus on my technique again, just like today. Congratulations to Sara, she is showing great performances."
With her third place today, French Coline Mattel achieved yet another podium result. After her win in Sapporo, she didn't participate in the competitions in Zao last weekend and returned to the World Cup here in Ljubno. "The third place is great and I'm very happy about it because the training didn't go that well for me. Fortunately I had two good jumps in the competition in front of that great crowd", Mattel said. 84 m in both rounds earned her a total of 212.1 points.
Slovenia with the best team performance
Supported by their home crowd, the two Slovenes Spela Rogelj and Katja Pozun followed as fourth and fifth and showed a very good performance. Jessica Jerome (USA), Line Jahr (NOR), Lindsey Van (USA), Ursa Bogataj (SLO) and Lea Lemare (FRA) completed today's Top 10. So the Slovenes once again showed the strongest team performance.
The best athlete of the German team, that travelled to Ljubno without those who will take part in the World Championships, was Melanie Faisst. Her teammate Anna Haefele, who did take part in yesterday's training, could not compete today due to health problems.
Comeback of Julia Kykkaenen
Finland's Julia Kykkaenen returned to the World Cup after she was forced to take a break due to a collar bone fracture she suffered early January. She came in 36th in this competition and could not qualify for the final round.
Some of the top athletes did not compete here because they are training for the World Championships. Among them are Anette Sagen of Norway, Jacqueline Seifriedsberger of Austria and Evelyn Insam and Elena Runggaldier of Italy. Instead the fans saw the Chinese team, that travelled to Ljubno with three athletes.
Sara Takanashi still has a clear lead in the overall World Cup with 250 points ahead of Sarah Hendrickson and Jacqueline Seifriedsberger.
| 01 | Wasek, P. |  |
329 | 0 |
| 02 | Kraft, S. | |
305 | 0 |
| 03 | Lindvik, M. | |
300 | 2 |
| 04 | Insam, A. | |
299 | 1 |
| 05 | Hoerl, J. | |
249 | 1 |
| Sluttresultat » | ||||
| 01 | Malsiner, L. | |
254 | 0 |
| 02 | Sieff, A. | |
214 | 0 |
| 03 | Takanashi, S. | |
209 | 1 |
| Sluttresultat » | ||||
| 01 | Japan | |
872 | 0 |
| 02 | Italia | |
628 | 0 |
| 03 | Slovenia | |
605 | 0 |
| Sluttresultat » | ||||
| 01 | Aigner, C. | |
543 | 0 |
| 02 | Fettner, M. | |
405 | 2 |
| 03 | Villumstadt, F. | |
377 | 0 |
| Sluttresultat » | ||||
| 01 | Schmid, K. | |
300 | 0 |
| 02 | Arnet, S. | |
289 | 0 |
| 03 | Wadsak, M. | |
277 | 0 |
| Sluttresultat » | ||||
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