Yuna Kasai claims first World Cup win after dramatic Hagen fall

Yuna Kasai (JPN) claimed a sensational first Viessmann FIS Nordic Combined World Cup victory after Ida Marie Hagen (NOR) crash-landed on the final jump of a dramatic Mass Start competition in Otepää (EST).

Kasai, whose previous best World Cup finishes were three third places and who had yet to finish on the podium this season, started the jumping section with a five-point deficit after placing fifth during the cross-country.

But Kasai, who along with twin sister Haruka turned 21 this week, soared out to 93.5 meters, the longest jump under the lights on the Tehvandi hill, to post a tally of 99.9 points that proved insurmountable.

Haruka Kasai got closest to her sister with a 91.0m effort to reach 97.8 points, which proved good enough for her fifth podium of the season.

As well as equalling her World Cup best finish of second, which she had previously achieved four times, it also meant the Kasais both finished on a World Cup podium together for the first time.

Nathalie Armbruster’s 89.0m jump was only good enough for 97 points and fourth, presenting Hagen with an opportunity to cut into her advantage in the standings.

But after her disqualification in Seefeld, a rollercoaster week for Hagen took another dramatic twist as she lost her balance after jumping 89.0m and fell forwards before shuddering to a halt (below).

Mercifully the 24-year-old was able to get up and walk out of the arena but the frustration on her face was clear at a missed opportunity to reassert her title credentials, having finished 15^th of the 23 competitors as a result of her landing.

Instead Jenny Nowak (GER) earned her first podium finish of the season in third, just ahead of overall leader Nathalie Armbruster in fourth.

“It is crazy,” Nowak said. “I knew I could jump well and my jump was really good. It was bad for Ida that she fell – I hope she is OK – but I am so happy.”

Hagen dominates in tracks

Hagen, whose disqualification in the Compact in Seefeld (AUT) cost her points in two events, had earlier enjoyed a crushing victory by 16.8 seconds in the cross-country over Armbruster, giving her a 4.2-point advantage heading to the HS97 hill.

But her fall meant the Norwegian slipped to third in the overall standings, 143 points behind Armbruster with Haruka Kasai moving up to second.

Having seen her run of 11 straight wins ended because of a suit infringement in Seefeld, Hagen had looked doubly determined to recover lost ground in the cross-country.

She hit the front inside the first 30 seconds, powering up the first hill and led Armbruster – wearing the overall leader’s yellow jersey for the first time – by 9.5 seconds after the first 1.2km.

With Gyda Westvold Hansen opting to miss this weekend to focus on preparing for the World Championships in Trondheim starting later this month, it was Hagen’s team-mate Marte Leinan Lund and Armbruster who led a chasing bunch also including Haruka and Yuna Kasai.

But Hagen extended her lead to 14.5 seconds by the halfway mark and continued to put the hammer down in the second half of the 5km race, eventually winning in 13:00.9, with Armbruster pipping Haruka Kasai for second in a sprint finish.

Leinan Lund and Ema Volavsek (SLO) both fell in the finishing straight, allowing Minja Korhonen (FIN) and Yuna Kasai to edge ahead as they picked themselves up to come in sixth and seventh.

Annalena Slamik, winner of Thursday’s PCR, set the early standard on the hill with a jump of 91.0 meters before Japanese 17-year-old Yuzuki Kainuma underlined her emergence as a promising talent with an 88.0m effort to take the lead.

But first Cindy Haasch (GER), with an 87.5m jump taking her to 89.6 points, and then compatriot Nowak, who matched Slamik’s 91.0m to lift her to 97.6 points, set down challenging targets which remained until the top five came to jump.

Yuna Kasai (JPN) seized the moment with her 93.5m effort, with twin sister Haruka helping make it a memorable day for Japan, pipping Hagen to the Mass Start Trophy in the process after the final competition in the format this season.

"We sisters are very happy because our goal was to be on the podium together," said Haruka Kasai (above, left). "I will continue to challenge myself to be as good as my sister Yuna."

The women will return on Saturday for a Gundersen starting at 09:15 CET (10:15 local) with a Compact to follow on Sunday, the final competitions before the World Championships in Trondheim.

Click here for the full results from Friday’s Mass Start.