Outstanding performance by Maren Lundby

Olympic champion Maren Lundby of Norway remains the outstanding athlete of this Ladies' World Cup season. Lundby once again proved her extraordinary skills with a clear win in the second competition in Rasnov (ROU). Katharina Althaus of Germany came in second, 17-year-old Nika Kriznar of Slovenia finished third, 0.1 points behind Althaus, and achieved her first ever podium finish in the World Cup.With this win today, Lundby also claimed the overall World Cup title 2017/18.

Maren Lundby jumped on 100 m and 97 m today and with 257.8 points, she came in more than 20 points ahead of second-placed Katharina Althaus (94 m and 92 m; 234.6 points). "It feels very good to back on top of the podium. My jumps were much better today so I'm happy with the competition. I hope I can continue like that until the end of the season and I'm looking forward to jumping on the Holmenkollen next weekend", said the 23-year-old.

For Katharina Althaus, this second place was yet another top result in the best winter of her career so far. "My jumps were not the best but I'm happy with the second place. My goal for the rest of the season is to defend my second place in the overall World Cup and I also hope we can win the Nations Cup. I hope we will have good competitions on the large hill in Oslo and at home in Oberstdorf", said the 22-year-old athlete from the ski club in Oberstdorf. Germany currently leads the Nations Cup with 2574 points ahead of Japan (2416 points) and Slovenia (1709 points).

Junior World Champion Nika Kriznar of Slovenia stood on the podium in a World Cup event for the first time in her career. "It's amazing to be on the podium, my jumps were very good and I'm really happy. It has a been a while since a Slovenian jumper was on the podium and I want to thank my coaches", the 17-year-old said after the competition.

Sara Takanashi came in fourth, the two Germans Carina Vogt and Juliane Seyfarth confirmed their good results from the day before in fifth and eighth today. Daniela Iraschko-Stolz and Jacqueline Seifriedsberger provided a strong team result for Austria in sixth and tenth.

Lundby wins overall World Cup title

With 1120 points, Maren Lundby now has a lead of 300 points over Katharina Althaus (820 points) in the overall World Cup. With only three more competitions left this season, Althaus can only equal the points the Lundby if she wins all three events and Lundby doesn't score a single point. But because Lundby has already won eight times this season and Althaus took only three wins so far, Lundby is already the overall World Cup winner.

Next Sunday, the ladies will compete in Oslo, the season final is held in Oberstdorf on March 24th and 25th.