Promising Minja Korhonen, 17, opens up about her struggles – "I haven't been able to focus peacefully"

Minja Korhonen reveals that she hasn't had the time to resolve her ski jumping issues due to the tight competition schedule. In the opening of the combined event at the World Championships in Trondheim, there were big surprises among the results.

Minja Korhonen finished just outside the top ten in her first competition at the World Championships in Trondheim. After the five-kilometer ski event, she dropped six places in the overall rankings due to her performance in the jumping segment.

"It’s a bit disappointing. The skiing could have provided opportunities for better placements, but the top competitors are currently jumping well," Korhonen described to Yle Urheilu.

Despite her struggles, the event saw a surprising trio on the podium. The Japanese twin sisters Yuna and Haruka Kasai alongside Norway's Gyda Westvold Hansen captured the medals, with Yuna receiving gold, Hansen silver, and Haruka bronze.

This season, the leading figure in combined, Ida Marie Hagen, finished in a surprising tenth place. Another competitor with several wins this season, Germany's Nathalie Armbruster, was sixth.

"The leading positions had incredibly small margins. Today was the type of competition where almost no one could have guessed the top three. It felt like it depended on who caught the best wind gap?" Korhonen pondered.

Korhonen has already achieved a podium finish once this season, placing third at a competition held in Ramsau before Christmas.

Yle Urheilu’s sports expert Petter Kukkonen assessed on the eve of the World Championships that Korhonen had been facing challenges with her jumps lately.

Korhonen admitted that her jumping form has been declining.

"It hasn’t been relaxed jumping on any level lately. Many might have noticed that my landing position is aimed at 40 degrees the wrong way. It has brought along many challenges," Korhonen said.

She noted that she has not had the opportunity to resolve these issues during training at home as she has been traveling from competition to competition week after week.

At 17, she has competed in the World Cup and just prior to adult World Championships, she also earned gold in the team sprint at the Youth World Championship alongside Heta Hirvonen.

“I haven’t been able to focus properly. If we suddenly try to make numerous changes or come up with new strategies, the jumping can end up causing more problems. It’s better to leave those things for the training season,” Korhonen pointed out.

On Friday, the combined event at the World Championships in Trondheim continues with a mixed team competition.

"Team competitions have always been awesome. We have an amazing energy, no matter the outcome. In the last individual competition, I see more opportunities. I’ve put more hopes into that direction," Korhonen described, already looking to Sunday’s event.

On that day, normal hill jumping will also take place, but traditionally the jumps will come first, followed by a five-kilometer ski.

Check out Minja Korhonen’s jump.