Female ski jumpers set for landmark Lake Placid World Cup
Feb 05, 2025·Ski Jumping)
History will be made in Lake Placid (USA) as the best female ski jumpers on the planet have the chance to compete from the MacKenzie Intervale hill, in an FIS Ski Jumping World Cup, for the first time.
The venue hosted Ski Jumping at the 1980 Olympic Winter Games and featured sporadically on the World Cup circuit until 1991, after which there was a 32-year absence.
A successful return for men in 2023 was the first step towards a more inclusive programme and now, much to the delighted of the women’s field and in particular the USA athletes, Lake Placid will host its first-ever women’s World Cup.
“For ski jumping in the US, this is huge and I’m sure it will be a fantastic event,” Sam Macuga (USA) tells FIS.
“Getting the Men's World Cup here two years ago was really, really exciting, just to see some progress and then finally, being able to add the women's circuit it's huge because it feels like our sport is being finally appreciated.
“On top of, the equal prize money and lessening the gap between the men's circuit and the women's circuit makes it all feel more relevant and it’s really exciting, to do it in the USA.”
Saturday will see the women and men both compete in World Cup finals before the third Mixed Team contest of the season takes place. The men will conclude their programme with a second World Cup on Sunday.
On the women’s side of the sport World Cup leader Nika Prevc (SLO) will be keen to return to winning ways after placing sixth in Willingen (GER) last weekend, although she was able to extender her advantage at the top of the standings after Katharina Schmid (GER) finished 11th.
Among the most in-form athletes, looking to maintain their recent run of impressive podium finishes, are Willingen (GER) World Cup winner Eirin Maria Kvandal (NOR) and Jacqueline Freidsberger (AUT) who claimed victory in the second Zao (JPN) World Cup last month.
Macuga is confident the USA athletes, who train with the Norwegians as part of an international alliance, can take advantage of a contest on ‘home soil.
“None of us have been back to the US since November, so to be finally coming back home, and to do it for a World Cup is really exciting,” continues Sam Macuga (USA).
“I think especially with the momentum this team had from the past weekend and how we’ve had nationals for us the past couple of years here, it feels like a huge advantage to be back and be competing on home ground.”
The momentum Macuga (USA) is referring to also relates heavily to the men’s side of the sport, with USA’s Kevin Bickner claiming the first top-10 World Cup result after nearly a decade of competing on the circuit, last time out in Willingen (GER).
“That top-10 had been a goal of mine for eight or nine years,” Bickner tells FIS.
“I’ve made a lot of progress this season so far, I'm feeling pretty good and my jumping is right where it needs to be.
Bickner continues; “I'm excited to be at a home World Cup and jump in front of a US crowd because especially with the way our team looks right now I think we're going to have a pretty strong showing here.
“I believe this is the only World Cup that's actually being broadcasted on live TV in the US too so it’s kind of an opportunity for someone who wouldn't normally see the sport to see not only ski jumping, but if an American does well, then that'll really get some people excited.”
The battle for the podium places is likely to be contested between a host of Austrian athletes, with Daniel Tschofenig, Jan Hoerl and Stefan Kraft hosting the respective first, second and third positions in the overall World Cup rankings.
However, Johann Andre Forfang (NOR) and Anze Lanisek (SLO) are among those who have attained strong top-three finishes in recent weeks and are also certain ones-to-watch across the men’s World Cup double in Lake Placid (USA).
FIS Ski Jumping World Cup
Lake Placid (USA):
6 February
17.30 - Start Qualification Women’s LH
7 February
09.20 - Competition Start Women’s LH
17.00 - Start Qualification Men’s LH
8 February
10.00 - Competition Start Men’s LH
14.30 - Competition Start Women's LH
17.00 - Competition Start Mixed Team LH
9 February
10.00 - Competition Start Men’s LH
* All listings are in Eastern Standard Time (EST) and are subject to change.
LAKE PLACID – FACTS AND FIGURES:
Ski jumping has been taking place in Lake Placid since the early part of the 20th century, with small hills being used from 1904-5.
Lake Placid hosted Ski Jumping contests during the 1980 Olympic Winter Games.
The site has undergone a number of renovations, reconstructions and redevelopments over the last 120 years, with the HS128 MacKenzie Intervale hill most recently converted in 2021.
Prior to its successful return to the men’s FIS Ski Jumping World Cup programme in 2023, it had been 32 years since Lake Placid had last hosted an event on the men’s circuit.
The men’s World Cup record stands at 136m and was set by Ryoyu Kobayashi (JPN) in 2023.
Last season Lovro Kos (SLO) and Stefan Kraft (AUT) claimed the respective victories during the Lake Placid double-header.
Women will compete in an FIS Ski Jumping World Cup at the Lake Placid venue, for the first time in history during qualifying on 6 February 2025.
