Katharina Schmid celebrated a triumphant comeback at the World Cup in Villach, securing her fourth victory of the winter season. After starting in second place, she achieved a remarkable 97-meter jump to surpass Slovenian competitor Nika Prevc, winning by just 4.5 points. Despite a rough patch in the Two Nights Tour, Schmid remains at the top of the overall standings with 655 points, ahead of Prevc’s 609. The event also saw strong performances from other competitors, including Jacqueline Seifriedsberger and Selina Freitag.
Katharina Schmid, the talented ski jumper, has made a remarkable resurgence following a brief slump at the Two Nights Tour. At the World Cup event in Villach, the seven-time world champion celebrated her fourth win of the winter season.
At the halfway mark, the 28-year-old competitor from Oberstdorf found herself in second place, trailing by seven points. However, a phenomenal jump of 97 meters in the final round propelled her ahead of the impressive Slovenian jumper Nika Prevc, who had jumps of 99.5 and 94 meters. In the end, Schmid’s performance earned her a narrow victory by just 4.5 points. The podium was rounded out by Austrian Jacqueline Seifriedsberger, who achieved jumps of 92 and 94 meters, while Selina Freitag showcased her skills but finished in fifth place.
After contemplating retirement at the end of last season, Schmid is now jumping stronger than ever. With her fourth victory of the season—timed perfectly for national coach Heinz Kuttin’s 54th birthday—she maintains her lead over Prevc in the overall World Cup standings, increasing her points to 655. The 19-year-old Slovenian, who previously dominated the circuit with three consecutive wins, now sits at 609 points. Schmid humorously remarked in an interview, ‘I won’t give up the yellow jersey that easily. It just makes jumping easier‘ and added, ‘I aimed to go full throttle today, and I succeeded.‘
Prevc Leads at Halfway
During the Two Nights Tour, Schmid was unable to secure a podium finish in Garmisch-Partenkirchen or Oberstdorf. However, in Villach, she impressed everyone by achieving the best jump in the qualification round and followed this up with a solid 95.5 meters in the first round, despite challenging wind conditions. ‘I am very satisfied and will try to maintain this momentum in the second round‘, she stated, with only Prevc ahead of her. Prevc had already dazzled the crowd with a new hill record during qualification, jumping an impressive 102 meters.
At that time, Freitag was trailing Prevc by nearly 15 points but was determined to reach the podium after her jump of 91.5 meters, placing her in fourth. Despite her efforts, the 23-year-old from Saxony couldn’t improve her position in the second round, landing at 90 meters and finishing in fifth. She reflected, ‘The hill doesn’t quite suit me, but I showcased a solid competition. I plan to build on this for tomorrow.’
Schmid Overtakes Prevc
It was evident from the start that the contest for victory would be between Prevc and Schmid. Jumping as the second-to-last competitor, Schmid launched into a powerful 97-meter jump under favorable conditions. Prevc, attempting to maintain her lead, struggled with her landing and was unable to defend her position.
All other German ski jumpers also made it to the final round, earning World Cup points. Juliane Seyfarth finished in 15th place with jumps measuring 90.5 and 86 meters, while Agnes Reisch, who had garnered attention at the Two Nights Tour with fourth and seventh place finishes, ended in 20th place with jumps of 87.5 and 82.5 meters. Anna Hollandt and Alvine Holz wrapped up the event in 28th and 29th places, respectively.
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As the Four Hills Tournament approaches, ski jumpers will make their way to Innsbruck. Keep an eye out for the latest updates and analyses after the event.
The Four Hills Tournament will take place in Innsbruck, while both men and women will also compete at the Tour de Ski in Val di Fiemme. Tune in for the latest winter sports news this Saturday!