Nika Prevc continued her dominance at the Two Nights Tour in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, securing victory with jumps of 134 and 135.5 meters. Agnes Reisch set a hill record during qualifications with 136 meters but finished fourth after a final jump of 126 meters. Katharina Schmid, the overall World Cup leader, placed fifth. The event introduced a knockout system, reducing competitors and featuring head-to-head matchups. Excitement remains high as the competition unfolds.
Nika Prevc Shines at the Two Nights Tour
Nika Prevc is poised to replicate her impressive performance from last year at the Two Nights Tour. During the opening jump in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, the talented Slovenian demonstrated her skills with two outstanding jumps, securing a dominant victory. On the German side, Agnes Reisch delivered an unexpected surprise.
Agnes Reisch’s Remarkable Performance
Agnes Reisch showcased her talent during the qualification round, setting a hill record with a jump of 136 meters. In the competition, the 25-year-old maintained her form, leaping 130.5 meters in the first round and entering the final in third place. Unfortunately, her final jump of 126 meters allowed Austrian Eva Pinkelnig to surpass her with a hill record of 137.5 meters, pushing Reisch to fourth place. Nevertheless, this marked her best World Cup result to date. “I had a score to settle with the hill. I’m glad it worked out this way and I’m just enjoying it,” Reisch expressed after the first round.
Meanwhile, Katharina Schmid, who leads the overall World Cup, faced challenges on the Olympic hill, finishing in fifth place with jumps of 127.5 and 123 meters. The female ski jumpers are currently competing in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, with the second round available for re-live viewing.
Nika Prevc, last year’s champion, clinched victory once again with impressive jumps of 134 and 135.5 meters. She finished ahead of Norway’s Eirin Maria Kvandal (128/135) and Pinkelnig, who secured her place on the podium thanks to her hill record.
Selina Freitag, who had excelled in the previous day’s qualification, struggled to maintain her momentum during the competition. After her first jump of 125 meters, she ranked ninth, and despite a final jump of 128.5 meters, she ultimately finished in eighth place.
Juliane Seyfarth advanced to the finals as the top lucky loser, jumping 128.5 meters in the first round. However, her second jump of 134.5 meters lacked a proper telemark landing, resulting in a loss of valuable points and an eleventh-place finish.
A brief moment of concern arose in the first round when Alvine Holz struggled to control her jump against Katharina Schmid, narrowly avoiding a fall with an “emergency landing.” With a jump of 77.5 meters, she missed qualifying for the final but still earned a World Cup point as she finished in 30th place.
This year, the Two Nights Tour introduced a knockout system, differing from the Four Hills Tournament. The number of female competitors was reduced from 40 to 30 during qualifying, and in the first round, athletes competed in 15 head-to-head matchups based on their qualification results. Winners advanced directly to the final round, with the five best losers qualifying as “lucky losers.”
Stay updated with the ski jumping calendar, featuring all dates from the World Cup start in Lillehammer to the World Championships in Trondheim and the season finale in Planica, accessible on your smartphone.
The excitement continues as female ski jumpers compete in the Two Nights Tour in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, and highlights from the Four Hills Tournament’s qualification rounds are available for re-live viewing.