Zao, Japan – A weekend of erratic winds and constant restarts came to a close in Japan on Sunday with a doubleheader FIS Ski Jumping World Cup. Japan’s own Sara Takanashi swept both wins and Austria’s Jacqueline Seifriedsberger snagged both second places.

Sarah Hendrickson led a strong USA effort with three Park City, Utah residents in the top eight in the second of two events Sunday in Zao, where Takanashi hit 102.0 meters, just a half meter shy of her hill record set last March. Lindsey Van was sixth with Jessica Jerome eighth. In the opening event early Sunday morning, Hendrickson was fourth, Jerome fifth and Van seventh in a conservative contest with no American jumper hitting the 90-meter mark.

“There have been a lot of delays during the past days and we did not know how the weather would look like today. Nice to see that everything worked out well and that the conditions were so fine,” said Hendrickson after weather moved Saturday’s competition to Sunday for the doubleheader. “For our team it was not an easy week because our coach had to leave Japan (due to a death in the family), but right now I am really happy about my result.”

Hendrickson, who secured her overall World Cup title last year while competing in Zao, is currently second to Takanashi in the points race this season. Japanese media came out in swarms to cover the much-hyped “Battle of the Sarah’s” campaign and Hendrickson has been taking it all in stride.

“I know it’s just part of what comes with competition,” Hendrickson said. “Sara is an incredible jumper and it’s great to get this attention for our sport.”

The women’s World Cup ski jumping circuit now heads back to Europe with a pair of events in Ljubno, Slovenia before the FIS Nordic Ski World Championships in Val di Fiemme, Italy.

OFFICIAL RESULTS
FIS Ski Jumping World Cup
Zao, Japan – Feb. 10, 2013
Women’s HS100

Competition 1

Competition 2