Schmid Triumphs at Klingenthal; Malsiner Claims Grand Prix Title

Originally published in FIS on October 05, 2024

In a thrilling conclusion to the FIS Grand Prix 2024, Katharina Schmid of Germany clinched victory at the Klingenthal event, while Italy's Lara Malsiner topped the overall standings. Malsiner, at just 24 years old, secured her position with a 15th place finish on Saturday, edging out her teammate Annika Sieff and Japan’s Sara Takanashi.

Schmid's win in Klingenthal marked a remarkable moment for her; she outpaced Norway's Eirin Maria Kvandal and Japan's Yuki Ito, drawing cheers from the enthusiastic crowd. After her triumph, Schmid expressed her delight, stating, “Winning in Klingenthal is truly special. It was my first competition this summer, and we weren’t sure how I would perform compared to international rivals. This success gives me confidence for the upcoming winter season, and I hope to surpass my results from last year.”

Kvandal initially led after the first round, but her jump in the second round fell short as she landed too early following a shortened inrun from her coach. She managed to jump 126 meters but missed securing bonus points due to not reaching 95% of her needed distance. Consequently, Schmid took the crown with a comfortable 13-point lead over Kvandal, who finished just ahead of Ito by 4.8 points.

The podium for the day concluded with Thea Minyan Bjoerseth and local favorite Selina Freitag finishing fourth and fifth, respectively. Nozomi Maruyama (JPN), Jacqueline Seifriedsberger (AUT), and Abigail Strate from Canada completed the top eight positions.

In a remarkable display of talent, Malsiner's overall victory in the Grand Prix, with a total of 254 points, highlighted a successful summer season for the Italian contingent. With her teammates sharing in her joy, Malsiner reflected on her achievement: “This victory means a lot; it confirms our hard work as a team. I’m looking forward to what the future holds.”

Looking ahead, a mixed team competition featuring the best male and female athletes is scheduled for Sunday, set to kick off at 14:45.