Unexpected victory from Eirin Maria Kvandal

Norway is recognised as a strong nation for Ski Jumping but Eirin Maria Kvandal was so far nearly unknown. Already on the podium with the Team Event on Saturday, the new teammate from Norway confirmed she could really perform and won the individual competition in Ljubno (SLO) on Sunday. Slovenian Ema Klinec followed in second and Marita Kramer, from Austria, in third position.

With two good jumps the young Eirin Maria Kvandal claimed an expected win in Slovenia. 19-year-old Norwegian just started to compete in World Cup this season and was still 33rd at the first World Cup in Ramsau (AUT) last December.  After finishing 11th on the qualification, she was not expected and even less to win. Nevertheless, she knew after her first jump of 92 m that there was an opportunity and directly won this second individual competition, deeply moved.

After winning yesterday's team competition, it was clear that Slovenian would finish on the podium again today but till the very last second, it was a tight competition. Ema Klinec posted a first jump of 94 m, the longest one today. Competing this season for the first time this weekend, local hero confirmed she was really strong. Nevertheless, the second jump was not so good and she finished just 1.4 points behind the Norwegian. " I can do better but congratulations to Norway, that was a very strong performance today from Eirin Maria, and I'm looking forward to the next competitions" said Ema Klinec.

Marita Kramer kept the yellow bib finishing third, being satisfied with the competition today even if it was not easy.

Japanese Sara Takanashi, multiple winner here in Ljubno, finished fourth, being now second on the world cup standing.

Leading usually Norwegian team, Maren Lundby finished fifth, before teammate Thea Minyan Bjoerseth, eighth.

For Germany, Katharina Althaus remained the best jumper, claiming the sixth position. Her teammate and multiple champion Carina Vogt returned for the first time after nearly two-year-injury break with a strong 22nd place.

Austria remains in the top 10 with Daniela Iraschko-Stolz and Sophie Sorschag in seventh and ninth position, whereas it was a complicated day for Chiara Hoelzl who finished 23rd.

The disappointment was for local Nika Kriznar who did not perform as well as expected. She is familiar with the podiums here at home. She was third last year and won yesterday with the team but with a first jump relegating her to the 17th position, she could not come back better than 10th place.

After this second individual competition, Marita Kramer keeps leading the world cup ranking with 160 points and Sara Takanashi comes now second 50 points behind. Nika Kriznar is third with 106 and Eirin Maria Kvandal is already fourth as she won directly 100 points today.

The Women's World Cup continues next weekend in Titisee-Neustadt.

Full results