COC: Slovenia secures Team Sprint win, Finland climbs to third

Tia Malovrh and Masa Likozar Brankovic delivered a stellar performance to claim victory for Slovenia in the women’s Team Sprint on the second competition day of the FIS Continental Cup in Eisenerz, Austria, on Saturday.

Eight teams from six nations were on the Start List for one jump and the sprint race that followed.

Team France took an early lead in the Ski Jumping competition on the HS109 hill, with Romane Baud achieving the longest jump of the day at 100.5 meters and Marion Droz Vincent adding a strong 97.5-meter effort. Their combined score of 229.8 points gave France a 14-second advantage heading into the 2x 4.5km cross-country race.

Team Germany 2, represented by Sofia Eggensberger (91 m) and Sophia Maurus (97.5 m), placed second after jumping, while Slovenia, with Masa Likozar Brankovic (98 m) and Tia Malovrh (91.5 m), started in third, 15 seconds behind the leaders.

The Slovenians dominated the cross-country portion, showcasing remarkable speed and endurance on the challenging 1.5km loop, which each athlete skied three times alternately. They surged ahead of their competitors, crossing the finish line with an impressive 21.6-second lead to secure the victory.

Team Germany 2 delivered a solid race to maintain their position, finishing in second place. Meanwhile, the Finnish duo of Petra Torvinen and Anna Kerko staged a remarkable comeback, climbing from eighth after the Ski Jumping competition to claim the final podium spot. They finished 40.8 seconds behind Slovenia.