COURCHEVEL, Fra.— Canadian ski jumper, Abigail Strate, landed on the top step of the international podium for the first time in her career on Sunday in Courchevel, France.
One day after flying to her first ever podium on the Summer Grand Prix circuit, the 24-year-old claimed her first victory on the large HS135 hill with 108.8 points.
“It is a little upgrade from yesterday,” laughed Strate. “I’m still kind of overwhelmed with everything going on. I’ve never heard the Canadian anthem played on the podium for myself, so I was balling my eyes out. It was really good today. I’m so happy.”
It was Canadian ski jumping’s first win in Courchevel since Alexandra Pretorius triumphed in 2012 at the Summer Grand Prix. A foursome of young Canadian leapers including Strate, Alex Loutitt, Nicole Maurer and Natalie Eilers have been rewriting the history books for ever since.
Strate topped a deep international field on Sunday to once again have the opportunity to hear Oh Canada played at the medal ceremony in the French ski jumping resort. The talented artist in the air, and also while doing her graphic design profession, edged Germany’s Selina Freitag for the gold medal by .5 points. Freitag settled for the silver medal at 108.3. Japan’s Nozomi Maruyama finished third with 105.5 points.
“Standing on the podium, I was just Looking for my team in the crowd. Seeing them happy is extra fulfilling because I know how hard the coaches work for all of us and how hard each of us work too,” added Strate. “I’ve been close (to winning) a bunch of times, but I always seem to have found a way to mess it up. It was a great feeling today, knowing you are done your job for the day, and I couldn’t do anything better. It is amazing.”
The world’s best women’s leapers competed in a new spectator-friendly competition format on Sunday. In the first round, athletes jumped in groups of five with the top-two in each group advancing to the second round. Each of the top-20 competitors who headed back to the top of the hill started with zero points for the second round.
All three Canadian women who suited up this weekend made it to the final. Alex Loutitt, who claimed Olympic bronze in the mixed-team event in 2022 alongside Strate, finished in eighth spot with 83.0 points. Calgary’s Nicole Maurer placed 17th at 52.2.
“I feel like I have to like (this new format),” laughed Strate. “There was some stress from everyone, but I like they are trying some different things to make the competitions more exciting for fans to watch.”
Strate, who was also leading after the first round in Saturday’s competition before she settled for the bronze medal, is no stranger to flying to the international podium in bunches.
She rattled off a string of three consecutive podium performances in 2023-24 – closing out 2023 with a bronze and silver medal before ringing in the 2024 New Year with another bronze. The only other podium finish in Strate’s eight-year career came when she won the bronze in Hinterzarten, Germany in January 2023. Three of Strate’s four medals in winter leaping have also come on large hills.
“It’s weird because I actually jump better on a 90 metre hill. I just haven’t trained as much on the large hills. Flying is where I usually make my mistakes, and when you jump on a large hill you obviously fly longer. But, when I’m jumping well it works on both,” she said. “Jumping well is about confidence, and when I’m confident, I won’t hold myself back and am willing to push myself which you have to do in a sport like this.”
Strate also has three, fourth-place finishes in her career and finished sixth overall on the 2023 Summer Grand Prix with four top-six finishes.
“I’m a summer person for sure. I like the sun and have always liked jumping in the summer. The last time I jumped well in the summer, it carried into the whole year so hopefully this is a good omen for me,” said Strate.
Hills are measured by the average spot where jumpers are expected to land safely, or where the hill flattens. A normal hill is usually 90 metres and the large hill is 120 metres.
Ski jumping is performed in the summer on an in-run where the tracks are made from porcelain and the grass on the slope is covered with water-soaked plastic. A core part of an athlete’s development and season-long competition schedule, summer ski jumping began in 1994 for men. Women began jumping competitively during the summer months in 2012.
Strate and her Canadian mates will now travel to Wisla, Poland for next stop on the Summer Grand Prix, August 16-17.
Complete Summer Grand Prix Ski Jumping Results – Courchevel, France
Ski Jumping Canada is the governing federation for ski jumping in Canada. It is responsible for the governance of all ski jumping competitions in Canada and for the operation of the national team. For more information, please visit skijumpingcanada.com.
-30-
Media Contact
Chris Dornan
Communications Advisor
Ski Jumping Canada
Tel: 403-620-8731
Email: hpprchris@shaw.ca