08:31
Yuka Kobayashi (JPN)
A local hero, Yuka Kobayashi, starts the first round. She starts from hatch 25 and sets the first best distance of the day with 69.5 meters.
08:28
The ski jump
The Zaō ski jump in northern Japan is an integral part of the women’s calendar and has been part of the World Cup since the first season in 2011/12. The K point is 95 meters and the hill size is 102 meters. The Japanese Sara Takanashi set the hill record in 2016 and the now 28-year-old jumped 106 meters. Last winter, Nika Prevc won the individual, ahead of Yuki Ito and Alexandria Loutitt. The second individual competition had to be canceled due to rain. Today the conditions are much better and it is currently minus three degrees and there was a slight wind in the practice lap.
08:24
Austrian quartet
The ÖSV team is led this weekend by Jacqueline Seifriedsberger, who finished third in the qualifying. The Austrian team is completed by Eva Pinkelnig, Julia Mühlbacher and young athlete Meghann Wadsak. Marita Kramer is still not at the start because she did not take part in the home World Cup in Villach due to shingles and has not yet fully recovered. Lisa Eder is also not there. The Salzburg woman, currently fourth in the overall World Cup, left Japan for stress reasons.
08:15
Only Hollandt is missing
In addition to Schmid, Selina Freitag also has a chance of landing on the podium. She is currently in third place in the overall World Cup and jumped to second place in the second individual in Sapporo. The DSV line-up is completed by Agnes Reisch, Juliane Seyfarth and Alvine Holz. Anna Hollandt narrowly missed the competition as she finished 42nd in qualifying.
08:07
The favorites
Katharina Schmid from Oberstdorf continues to lead the overall World Cup and is currently 78 points ahead of Slovenia’s Nika Prevc. Both go into today’s competition as favorites, but Eirin Maria Kvandal from Norway is also one of them. The 23-year-old won the last individual competition in Sapporo and yesterday’s qualification. The Canadian Alexandria Loutitt is also getting in better and better shape. She took first place in the first individual in Sapporo and confirmed her rising performance with second place in the qualification.
07:58
Welcome!
Hello and welcome to women’s ski jumping in Yamagata, Japan. The first round begins at 8:30 a.m.