Paschke maintains stunning start to ski jumping season
Nov 30, 2024·Ski Jumping)
World Cup leader Pius Paschke (GER) extended his advantage in the race for the 2024/25 crystal globe by claiming his second victory of the season, in Ruka, Finland.
The campaign may only be three races old, but Paschke can already celebrate his best-ever individual season in terms of podium finishes, having won World Cup 1 and finishing second 24 hours later, in Lillehammer last week.
It is the first time in the 34-year-old’s career that he has won two World Cup stops in a single season and the German achieved the landmark despite what he admitted were ‘extremely challenging’ conditions in Ruka.
The wind rapidly changed direction and speed throughout the contest, but Paschke maintained an element of control throughout.
He led by 8.4 points following the opening round (162.3pts), before securing the title with an even more impressive second jump (164.3), to attain a combined score of 326.6.
World Cup 2 winner Jan Hoerl (AUT) was second (317.7) with 2023/24 crystal globe winner Stefan Kraft (AUT) attaining his first top-three of the season (315.2), having placing fourth twice in Lillehammer.
The German now has 280 points after three events, leading Hoerl (AUT) in the overall World Cup standings by 55pts, with Daniel Tschofenig (AUT) third on 180pts.
The Ruka World Cup is taking place as part of ‘Ruka Nordic’ weekend, which sees ski jumping united with Cross Country skiing, Nordic Combined and Moguls during a four-day ‘winter festival’ of Nordic sports which runs from 28 November to 1 December.
The ski jumping programme will conclude on Sunday following the sport’s second World Cup event, with qualifying due to take place at 14:45 before the World Cup commences at 16:15 (EET).
Ruka Men’s World Cup – 30 Nov – How The Event Played Out
Qualifying had been due to take place on Friday evening in Finland, but high winds saw that moved into the weekend.
There were further delays, with the wind conditions heavily impacting the performances of three-time World medallist Halvor Egner Granerud (NOR) as well as Stephan Leyhe (GER) and Kevin Bickner (USA), who all all missing out on the main round.
When the first round of the World Cup ‘main event’ finally did get underway ski Jumping commentator Ian Findlay stated the conditions made the competition something of a “lottery.”
Two-time Continental Cup winner Jarkko Maatta (FIN) was the first to hit the HS142 hill for the host nation, but his jump of 120.5m, which scored 104.00 points, would not be enough to achieve the required top-30 rank for a place in the second round.
Timi Zajc (SLO) ‘won’ the qualification with a colossal distance of 146m, which attained 148.3 points, however, he would attain just 121m / 125.7 pts in the first round; arguably ending his podium hopes even if it was enough for a place in round two.
Six-time World champion Markus Eisenbichler (GER) endured a challenging start to the season, placing 24th and 32nd, but managed an impressive jump of 135m and would ease through, in 12th.
Placing much higher up the leader board though was team-mate Andreas Wellinger (GER) who achieved the second longest jump – 141m.
The two-time Olympic champion was 12th and seventh in Lillehammer and found himself in fifth, just 1.1 points off the top-three, in fifth, after his opening jump.
Those holding the podium places though, as they were for much of the opening weekend of the season, were the World Cup 1 and 2 winners Pius Paschke (GER) and Jan Hoerl (AUT) as well as 2023/24 crystal globe winner Stefan Kraft (AUT).
Paschke travelled 143.5m, which attained 162.3 points, giving him a lead of 8.4 heading into the deciding round.
Zajc (SLO) rediscovered the form he demonstrated in qualifying by replicating the longest recorded jump of the day at that stage – 146m – which scored 170 points.
It saw him rise 14 places between the rounds to finish ninth, which will give him confidence heading into the second day of World Cup competition in Ruka, on Sunday.
Also rising up the rankings between the rounds was Daniel Tschofenig (AUT), who despite placing on the podium twice in Lillehammer, will likely be content with the improvement in his second jump which saw him move from 13th to six.
One Austrian certainly celebrating after his maiden medal-winning performance of the season; 2023/24 crystal globe winner Kraft (AUT), who surpassed Zajc’s 146m leap by one meter and secured third.
Team-mate Hoerl (AUT) demonstrated his continued consistency at the start of the season by scoring 163.8 points, to take second.
Paschke (GER) was just a class apart though and the German will undoubtedly be among the favourites for further success on Sunday.
FIS SKI JUMPING WORLD CUP – RUKA (FIND) SCHEDULE
01.12.2024
14:45 – QUA - WC Men LH
16:15 – Competition start - WC Men LH
All times listed are EET (Eastern European Time) and are subject to change.
Facts And Figures - Ruka World Cup
· The Rukatunturi HS142 ski jump hill is located to the north of Kuusamo, which is in the East of Finland, and is the nation’s largest ski jumping hill.
· Ruka made its debut as an FIS World Cup host in 1996 and has featured regularly on the calendar since 2002.
· The Ruka World Cup weekend, otherwise known as ‘Ruka Nordic’ typically combines Ski Jumping, Cross country skiing and Nordic combined, with Moguls also featuring in 2024.
· Three-time World championship medallist Halvor Egner Granerud (NOR) holds the official hill record with a distance of 150.5m, which he achieved in 2022.
· Stefan Kraft (AUT), Pius Paschke (GER) and Stephen Leyhe (GER) claimed the podium places in the first Ruka World Cup during the 2023/24 season.
· On the second day of competition at the 2023/24 Ruka World Cup in Ruka, Stefan Kraft (AUT) again claimed victory, ahead of Jan Hoerl (NOR) and Andreas Wellinger (GER).
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