Canadian ski jumper Abi Strate secured a silver medal at a women’s ski jumping World Cup event held in Sapporo, Japan over the weekend. Hailing from Calgary, the 24-year-old athlete excelled in the women’s large hill competition, building on her earlier bronze medal win at a normal hill event in Zao, Japan.
Expressing her joy, Strate mentioned, “I’m really happy to get silver in Sapporo because it is a hill that I’ve struggled on for years. In the past, my jumping here has been inconsistent and I’ve gotten a bit lost in my head. This year I came in determined to make friends with the hill, and that made a big difference.”
Strate showcased her skill with the top jump in the final round, reaching 130.0 meters and accumulating a total score of 273.9 points. This achievement marked her fourth World Cup podium finish of the season and the ninth in her career.
Slovenia’s Nika Prevc clinched the gold with 279.4 points, while Norway’s Anna Odine Strøm secured the bronze with 260.3 points. Meanwhile, Strate’s compatriot Nicole Maurer from Calgary finished 37th and missed out on advancing to the final round.
Looking ahead, Strate is gearing up for her second Olympic appearance in Italy in February. Reflecting on her recent successes, she remarked, “This week was a really good start. These were my last competitions before the Games, so it’s exciting to finish on a high as we head into the final training period.”