• Thursday, 26 December 2024

Klinec wins maiden women's ski flying with world record 226m

Klinec wins maiden women's ski flying with world record 226m

Slovenia's Ema Klinec soared a world record 226 meters to make history as the first winner of a women's ski flying competition on Sunday in Norway.

 

Klinec had the big jump in the first round and added 223.5m in the second for victory in Vikersund ahead of Norway's Silje Opseth, who had 211m and 207m.

 

Japan's Yuki Ito completed the podium in third with 200.5m and 190m.

 

Klinec's win also gave her first place in the final standings of the Raw Air Tour in Norway.

 

Canadian world champion Alexandria Loutitt had set a first women's world record of 222m in practice on Saturday but that lasted only a day.

 

Loutitt managed 225m Sunday but was fifth owing to a modest first jump in the event which was not part of the World Cup.

 

The men's world record is 253.5m from Austrian Stefan Kraft, achieved on the same Vikersund hill in 217.

 

"We all had some doubts before the ski flying, me as well as everyone else. But now I'm overjoyed that I handled it all so well, I really enjoyed it," Klinec said.

 

"You need a lot of self-confidence and you have to know the hill to be successful here. It worked out great for me in the end and I am incredibly proud now. That there is a new world record at the end is overwhelming, so three dreams came true for me this weekend."

 

Ito was allowed to compete although a disqualification had dropped her out of the top 15 in the Raw Air standings who were officially the only women eligible for the flying debut.

 

"Thank you ski jump family," the grateful Ito wrote on her gloves.

 

She later said: "Ski flying was my big dream, after the competition in Lillehammer my dream was shattered and I was really devastated. But somehow the coaches, the other athletes and the FIS then gave me back this dream with the start permit.

 

"That was the best gift of my life that I got from the ski jumping family. I am now so unbelievably happy about my third place today that I can't even describe it."

 

There were plenty of smiles among the 15 jumpers during their historic competition which saw no falls, and they were hailed as "pioneers" on a board in the bowels of the venue, with photos from all competitors also displayed.

 

"It was great to fly here and to make history," German three-time world champion Katharina Altthaus said after coming fourth.

 

But her competitiveness also showed as she lamented not managing to go beyond 200m on the weekend: "The 200m are a childhood dream and I want to fulfil that one day."

 

Freshly crowned World Cup champion Eva Pinkelnig of Austria was ninth.