A First in Strbske Pleso

 STRBSKE PLESO – As described previously, women’s ski jumping quietly continues its development. In this context, FISU has introduced a new competition format in its sports programme and it shows that the ski jump competition is becoming increasingly popular with female athletes.

PUSTKOVA Vladena, from Czech Republic, bronze medallist

Indeed, the ski jump team event was previously open only to men or mixed teams. This afternoon, for the first time in the history of FISU, a team completion for women’s teams took place. China, the Czech Republic, Russia and Japan therefore lined up a team of two athletes. Of course this is still very modest as a competition, but for Paul Ganzenhuber (AUT), the FISU Technical Delegate for ski jumping it is also an approach intended to make a lasting impression: “It is very important indeed, and we had to offer this event in our programme even though we knew that participation would be modest. Tomorrow, we’ll have more teams during the mixed team event introduced in 2013 in Trentino (ITA).”

The first women’s team podium ever in the ski jumping event

For this inaugural edition of the women’s team event, the Russian team won on the K100 jumping hill here in Strbske Pleso, a competition that took place under ideal conditions.

Team Japan almost prevented Team Russia led by Irina Avvakulova (gold medal individual) from the gold but the Russians managed to keep their control on the event to win in the end. Note that Irina Avvakulova is a gifted athlete who is among the top 5 female ski jumpers in the world and was even the first Russian (man and women) to win a round of the World Cup in Tchaikovsky, Russia on 4 January, 2014. Together with Anastasiya Gladysheva she now won the first team event with Japan and the Czech Republic in second and third place.

Yvan Dufour, Editor-in-Chief

 Photos Roman Benicky