Norway’s ski jumping team triumphed majestically at the FIS Ski Jumping World Cup Mixed Team event held at the HS147 Mühlenkopfschanze hill in Willingen, Germany, on January 31, 2025. The team, comprised of Thea Minyan Bjoerseth, Kristoffer Eriksen Sundal, Eirin Maria Kvandal, and Johann Andre Forfang, showcased exceptional skill and teamwork to secure the victory.
The Norwegian quartet dominated the contest, finishing with a combined score of 1070.8 points. They held a commanding lead of 31.3 points after the first round and extended this to 39.4 points by the end of the second stage. Following Norway, Austria placed second with 1031.4 points, and Germany rounded out the podium with 988.8 points, supported by 7,000 enthusiastic fans. Slovenia started strong but faced challenges, finishing fourth after Timi Zajc was disqualified.
Bjoerseth impressed the crowd with the longest jump of the competition, covering 145 metres. Reflecting on her performance, she said, “I’m very happy with the first run. I think we all did a great job, everyone showed good jumps and together, we had a very good performance.”
Each team consisted of two male and two female athletes, and the competition format required each athlete to jump once per round. The first round's scores established the initial standings, with the top eight advancing to the final round to determine the overall result. Norway effectively capitalized on their early lead, maintaining their advantage through stellar jumps from each team member.
The success story of Norway wasn’t only written by Bjoerseth. Kristoffer Eriksen Sundal was also commendable, jumping 136 and 136.5 metres respectively, and Eirin Maria Kvandal was remarkable with scores of 134.5 and 128.5 metres. Johann Andre Forfang contributed significantly with jumps of 131.5 and 143 metres, showcasing the talent and potential of Norway’s mixed team.
Austria’s team included Lisa Eder, Jan Hoerl, Jacqueline Seifriedsberger, and Daniel Tschofenig, who showed great resilience. They put forth solid efforts, but their scores fell short of Norway's dominant performance. Nevertheless, their final push capsulated their capability to contend with top-tier teams.
Germany entered as the defending champion from the season's opening Mixed Team event but finished third this time around. The German squad, which included Katharina Schmid, Philipp Raimund, Selina Freitag, and Andreas Wellinger, demonstrated tenacity but could not reclaim the top spot.
Slovenia's team faced disqualification trouble when Timi Zajc's score was removed due to suit violations, leading to them dropping from contention for top positions. Even so, the remaining team members managed to qualify for the final round, ensuring their presence for the second set of jumps.
Looking forward, for Norway, this remarkable victory serves as both validation and momentum. Forfang expressed this sentiment, saying, "It's a great feeling because we have been working hard as a team and we're really happy to have a team that's performing well." He added, "This is my favourite hill in the circuit and my jumping has been getting more and more consistent, so I have hopes for future competitions this weekend.”
Norway's performance solidifies their place as serious contenders for the rest of the season, continuing to build on their success. With the World Cup continuing, fans can expect thrilling performances from this fan-favorite team who has now established themselves as one of the strongest mixed teams on the circuit.