Le slovene sulle scale, Nika Vodan davanti a Niko Prevc

The Slovenian skiers Nika Vodan and Nika Prevc finished second and third respectively at the first event of the intercontinental ski jumping competition in Austria’s Stams. The top spot was claimed by home favorite Lisa Eder with 288.7 points, followed by Vodan with 264.3 points and Prevc with 250.9 points. Other Slovenian competitors included Ajda Košnjek (14th), Jerica Jesenko (16th), Nina Kontrec (20th), and Taja Sitar (21st). The results marked a strong performance for Slovenia in the competition. Eder, who had previously ended her career after disputes with the Austrian Ski Association, made a convincing return to the podium. Her dominance was evident as she secured a 24.4-point lead over Vodan and a 37.8-point advantage over Prevc. During the competition, Eder achieved distances of 111.5 meters and 112.5 meters, securing her victory. Vodan, despite illness, performed well, managing a 106-meter jump, while Prevc, making her first official appearance of the summer season, landed at 104.5 meters. Both athletes expressed satisfaction with their performances, though they acknowledged room for improvement. Vodan stated, “For me, it was a great day. Despite being ill these days, I handled the competition very solidly. I know where I still have reserves, and I believe I can recover them. But first, I need to focus on my health, then tomorrow’s race and then back home.” Prevc added, “For me, this was my first competition of the summer season. My jumps were not in line with my plan, I know I can do much better. What matters is that I gather myself and prepare for tomorrow, and enjoy the competitions.” Other Slovenian participants included Ajda Košnjek (14th), Jerica Jesenko (16th), Nina Kontrec (20th), and Taja Sitar (21st). Additional competitors were Živa Živic (33rd) and Živa Andrič (35th). In the overall standings of the summer intercontinental cup, the leading athletes remained unchanged, with Chinese skier Ping Zeng (200 points) maintaining the top position ahead of Slovenian competitor Maja Kovačič (140 points) and Kiro Mario Kapustik (120 points). A further competition is scheduled for Sunday starting at 9:15 AM local time. On the men's side, the Austrian team dominated, with Clemens Aigner finishing first at 116 meters and 115 meters, followed by Swiss athlete Gregor Deschwanden (113 meters and 113.5 meters) and Aigner’s teammate Lukas Haagen (112 meters and 113 meters). Slovenian male skier Domen Prevec placed 17th, achieving a new record of 121.5 meters on the 115-meter hill, surpassing the previous mark set by Polish skier Alexander Zniszczol in 2022. Prevec noted, “In the first round, I made a mistake, and conditions weren’t ideal. However, I managed to qualify for the second round, which gave me some enjoyment. Some things worked out well, including a higher takeoff point. There’s still some reserve left to use. We have more work and dedicated training sessions ahead, both in fitness and specialized hill training.” Among other notable performances, Žak Mogel (22nd) and Rok Masle (26th) represented Slovenia among the top performers, while younger athletes such as Urban Šimnic (35th), Jaka Kramer (39th), and Mai Zakelšek (48th) did not meet expectations in the second round. Meanwhile, Japanese skier Naoki Nakamura secured his place at the top of the rankings following his performance in Rasnov. American Jason Colby took second place, and Norwegian Kristoffer Eriksen Sundal came third. Among Slovenians, Enej Faletič (24th) and Žiga Jančar (26th) earned points, while Žiga Jelar (35th) and Rok Oblak (38th) completed the national representation. In the women’s category, Polish skier Anna Twardosz won with a 96-meter jump, defeating Japanese competitor Ringo Mijajimo by 19.1 points. Slovenian skier Ema Klinec maintained fourth place behind Chinese skier Bing Dong.