Schmid wins for the seventh time at her favorite hill

Double Victory! Ski Stars Make a Statement

The Allgäu native wins decisively in Lillehammer, with Selina Freitag also landing on the podium in second place.

Celebration in Norway: Katharina Althaus
© IMAGO/GEIR OLSEN/SID/IMAGO/Geir Olsen

Katharina Schmid's return to her favorite hill in Lillehammer brought luck and her first World Cup win in 18 months. The seven-time ski jumping world champion from Oberstdorf triumphed on Sunday with a German double victory, claiming her seventh win at the 1994 Olympic city after finishing second the day before, marking a perfect start to the World Championship winter.

"Incredible! I didn't feel good after the qualification, but the first jump was then extremely strong," said Schmid. "I am totally happy. We have worked hard, now we have fun and confidence."

The 28-year-old Schmid, who last won in March 2023 in Lillehammer, achieved her 16th career victory on Sunday, scoring 238.9 points with jumps of 133.5 m and 123.0 m in a competition moved forward due to heavy snowfall. Her teammate Selina Freitag from Aue followed in second with 236.1 points (130.0+129.0), rounding off a strong start for the German team under new women's head coach Heinz Kuttin. Lisa Eder from Austria finished third (231.7 points).

Nika Prevc from Slovenia, last season's overall World Cup winner, who won the day before, only placed eleventh this time. Schmid thus also took the yellow jersey as the World Cup leader.

The DSV female jumpers have amassed four podium finishes in the first two competitions, matching the total from all 27 individual jumps of the 2023/24 season. Last season, Schmid had made it into the top three only once, but now seems well-prepared for the World Championships in Trondheim at the end of February.

While the men, who celebrated their first season victory through Pius Paschke in Lillehammer on Saturday, continue their World Cup journey to Ruka (Finland) and Wisla (Poland), the women face two free weekends. They will return to action on December 14-15 in Zhangjiakou, China, on the Olympic hill from 2022.