Lillehammer, Norway – Park City, Utah’s Jessica Jerome led the U.S. in the Lillehammer Continental Cup over the weekend, finishing in third. Jerome had two solid jumps on the normal hill HS 100 to earn a podium spot on Saturday.nThe competitions were held Saturday and Sunday on the HS 104 hill in Lillehammer. Daniela Iraschko of Austria won Saturday’s competition, posting the longest jump of the day with a hill record of 106.5 meters that was “really amazing and really fun to watch,” according to Jerome. Fellow Austrian Jacqueline Seifriedsberger finished in second, making it a 1-2 Austrian podium. Jerome slid in third ahead of France’s Coline Mattel.
“Since it was an afternoon comp and a little rainy, the air was doing some weird things and some people weren’t as fortunate as others,” Jerome added. She said that third place “is my best result in about two years now, so I was really satisfied with that. It was overall a pretty good day for the Americans.”
Jerome’s teammate, Lindsey Van, was just shy of the top five, jumping to sixth place. Van, who took last season off to give her mind and body a break, returned to ski jumping in late July in Park City, capturing the large and small hill titles at the U.S. National Championships. Abby Hughes broke inside the top 15 in 13th, with Alissa Johnson ended the day in 22nd. All three also call Park City home.
“It’s one of my huge mental blocks, but there are a few things I am doing so that I don’t think about the wind,” Hughes said. “I write notes on my hand, just key trigger words that help me mentally assess what I need to be doing on the end of the take off. (Coach) Kjell (Magnusson) just really wants me to ‘just do it.’ My technique off the hill really impresses him; it’s translating it to the hill that’s really challenging.”
Former Continental Cup overall leader Sarah Hendrickson was absent from competition, taking time to focus on school in Park City. She nonetheless leads the U.S. women in the Continental Cup standings in fifth place.
France’s Emmanuel Chedal won the men’s large hill HS 138 competition with 135 and 129-meter jumps. Rafal Sliz of Poland, who had the farthest jump of the day 136.5 meters, and Vincent Descombes Sevoie finished second and third. Peter Frenette, of Saranac Lake, N.Y., was the top U.S. finisher in 53rd.
On Sunday, Jerome led the U.S. women again, posting a fifth place with Van in sixth. Iraschko was on top again, with the longest jump of 98.5 meters. Mattel finished second ahead of Norway’s Line Jahr in third.
Frenette, the top male U.S. finisher, picked up Continental Cup points in 22nd. Slovenia’s Rok Zima pick up the win and longest jump at 132.5 meters. Descombes Sevoie added another second place finish to his resume with Czech Republic’s Jakub Janda in third.
The Continental Cup will pick back up Sep. 18-19 in Oslo, Norway. Oslo is scheduled to hold the World Championships in February.
OFFICIAL RESULTS
Continental Cup
Lillehammer, Norway
September 11, 2010
Men’s Large Hill HS 138
1. Emmanuel Chedal, France (135.0, 129.) 259.9
2. Rafal Sliz, Poland (136.5, 120.0) 246.9
3. Vincent Descombes Sevoie, France (131.5, 123.5) 245.7
4. Marco Grigoli, Switzerland, (134.5, 120.5) 245.2
5. Lukas Hlava, Czech Republic (131.5, 121.5) 240.1
Women’s Normal Hill HS 100
1. Daniela Iraschko, Austria (98.5, 106.5) 268.0
2. Jacqueline Seifriedsberger, Austria (99.5, 98.0) 264.5
3. Jessica Jerome, Park City, UT (93.0, 97.0) 248.5
4. Coline Mattel, France (96.0, 94.0) 246.5
5. Ulrike Graessler, Germany (93.5, 94.0) 240.0
September 12, 2010
Men’s Large Hill HS 138
1. Rok Zima, Slovenia (132.5, 125.5) 248.6
2. Vincent Descombes Sevoie, France (122.5, 125.5) 229.6
3. Jakub Janda, Czech Republic (119.0, 127.5) 227.9
4. Antonin Hajek, Sloveina (123.5, 121.0) 220.8
5. Marjaz Pungertar, Slovenia (13.5, 121.0) 220.8
Women’s Normal Hill HS 100
1. Daniela Iraschko, Austria (93.0, 98.5) 253.0
2. Coline Mattel, France (88.5, 92.5) 231.0
3. Line Jahr, Norway (87.5, 89.0) 221.5
4. Yuki Ito, Japan (89.0, 84.0) 209.0
5. Jessica Jerome, Park City, UT (86.5, 83,5) 205.0