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The team carries her on her shoulders: Katharina Althaus is celebrating after her victory
Photo:
IMAGO/GEPA pictures/ Gintare Karpaviciute / IMAGO/GEPA pictures
Katharina Althaus won the World Cup in Lillehammer and gave the German ski jumpers their first win of the season.
The 26-year-old jumped 99 and 96.5 meters on the normal hill in the Norwegian winter sports stronghold on Saturday.
Althaus won ahead of the two Austrians Eva Pinkelnig in second place and third-placed Marita Kramer.
For the girl from Oberstdorf it was the first victory in the World Cup in almost exactly a year to the day.
Althaus won at the same place on December 4, 2021.
At the same time, it is her first victory since the dramatic end at the 2022 Olympic Games in Beijing.
At that time she first won silver in the singles and was then disqualified in the mixed competition because of a non-compliant suit.
The decision drew a lot of criticism.
Althaus was extremely disappointed and also thought about the end of his career.
However, she rejected these considerations after it was decided that there would be a Four Hills Tournament for women from the 2023/24 season.
»I was so far that I said: I won't do it forever anymore.
But we fought so hard that we also get a tour.
Now, of course, I'll try to be there," she said in April.
Friday in sixth place
Althaus laid the foundation for success on Saturday in the first round when she landed after the day's maximum distance of 99 meters.
“I feel great and I'm so happy.
I love Lillehammer,« she explained in the ARD interview after her third triumph on the normal hill.
She has already won twice on the large hill.
»The big hill is my favorite.
I'm hoping for a good result," Althaus said with a view to the competition on the large hill on Sunday.
Selina Freitag in sixth place and Anna Rupprecht in ninth also contributed to a good German team result.
In the overall World Cup, Pinkelnig maintained her lead with 190 points, Althaus is 50 points behind in second place.
For the first time this season, the athletes jumped on snow.
At the start in Wisla, Poland, the jumpers landed on mats at the beginning of November.
Althaus had taken second place at the time.
kjo/dpa
