Val di Fiemme, Italy – Young Sarah Hendrickson, 17, of Park City, Utah, soared to yet another hill record on Sunday to win her fourth FIS Ski Jumping World Cup in five events in its inaugural women’s season.

“I love ski jumping. I just love it so much,” a smiling Hendrickson told reporters after her win.

Hendrickson put down a 108.0 meter ride on her second jump – a half meter longer than her previous hill record earned a day earlier – to take another victory over Austria’s Daniela Iraschko. Hendrickson jumped 104.5 and 108.0 to win 285.9 to 273.1 over Iraschko on the same hill that will be used for next year’s World Championships.

“I’m very excited to win again. It was a very good competition today and I had two very good jumps, especially the second that beat my hill record from yesterday,” said Hendrickson. “I can’t say yet what winning now means for the World Championships next year (on the same jump in Val di Fiemme). Ski jumping can be up and down from day to day and from year to year. But I am going to try to be on this podium again next year.”

“Now for Sarah, it’s simply amazing because she’s on top of the world and the strongest, but at the same time, she’s relaxed and happy and focused,” said International Coach Paolo Bernardi. “That’s where she needs to stay for the next competitions.”

World Champion Lindsey Van was sixth with Jessica Jerome eighth. Alissa Johnson was 15th, and Abby Hughes, who’s been nursing a leg injury, 24th. All are from Park City.

U.S. women ski jumpers and their international peers pushed for years to be included in the Olympic Winter Games and met that goal when the International Olympic Committee in April 2011 approved a women’s ski jumping event for the Sochi 2014 Games. Van attributes the success so far to the fact that everyone on the team really loves to ski jump and is supportive of each other.

“We all started ski jumping initially to have fun and staying focused on that is what keeps you going,” said Van. “With all we’ve been through in the past 10 years, we really love and appreciate what we do and now we can simply enjoy it.”

Hendrickson now leads the World Cup 429 to 273 over Iraschko, with Van in third. The U.S. team is leading overall on the World Cup, boosted by Hendrickson’s domination of the top spot, and consistent podium, top 6 and top 10 performances by veterans Van and Jerome.

With schedule changes due to cancellations, the circuit now takes a short break before resuming Feb. 4-5 in Hinzenbach, Austria.

OFFICIAL RESULTS
FIS Ski Jumping World Cup
Val di Fiemme, Italy – Jan. 15, 2012
Women’s HS106