Tschofenig lights up Lahti to claim impressive World Cup win

2024/25 Crystal Globe winner Daniel Tschofenig (AUT) gave further evidence of his return to form, after a challenging season, by claiming just his third World Cup victory of the current campaign following an impressive performance in Lahti (FIN).

Tschofenig had placed second in the first Lahti World Cup event on Friday and was again in the runner-up spot at the halfway stage on Saturday.

First-round leader Ryoyu Kobayashi (JPN) was seeking his first victory since December, but he was unable to match Tschofenig’s stunning second round jump of 129.5m, which took the Austrian to an overall score of 299.4 points.

Kobayashi achieved a combined total of 296.2pts, which was enough for a top-three result, however, Domen Prevc (SLO) edged ahead of him in the final standings, with 298.8pts.

“It was amazing here, conditions were perfect and super clear, I don’t think I’ve ever had such a clear weekend here,” Tschofenig told FIS, after the 11^th World Cup win of his career.

“My jumps were good, getting better and better over the whole weekend and then finishing it off with those jumps were just stunning.

“Congratulations to the other guys it was a very, very good competition.”

Prevc completed a ‘grand slam’ of major individual honors, by adding the Overall World Cup crown to his Olympic Games, Ski Jumping World Championships, Ski Flying World Championships and Four Hills Tournament titles, on Friday.

However, it was achieved in surreal circumstances, with Prevc having initially celebrated a record-breaking seventh-successive men’s World Cup win, before being disqualified for having skis which were deemed to be one centimetre too long.

Despite the elimination of his result, closest World Cup rival Ryoyu Kobayashi (JPN) was unable to close the gap by enough points to deny Prevc the landmark achievement.

24 hours on the Slovenian was able to celebrate his success in more typical style, with a podium finish. It was also the first top-three result of Prevc’s career jumping from the Finish hill, having previously attained a best-place finish of 13^th at last year’s contest.

Milano Cortina 2026 Normal Hill Olympic gold medalist Philipp Raimund (GER) claimed the first World Cup victory of his career on Friday, but would finish fourth on the second day of men’s individual competition in Lahti (FIN).

Vladimir Zografski (BUL) was another ski jumper who celebrated a career-first on Friday, after placing third and attaining a maiden World Cup podium, but he endured a challenging first round on Saturday.

He missed out on a place in the second round, ranking 34^th, which one ahead of Polish legend Kamil Stoch, who was tenth on Friday.

Stefan Kraft’s difficult second half of the season continued, with the Austrian unable to progress from the qualification round.

Since setting a new all-time FIS World Cup points record, by surpassing Janne Ahonen (FIN) via a victory at the first event in Falun (SWE) in November, he has attained just one further top-three result.

Among those to make significant improvements from round one to round two were Isak Andreas Langmo (NOR) and Stephan Embacher (AUT), who rose seven and 10 places, to finish a career-best seventh and 18^th respectively.

The men’s field will complete their Lahti World Cup programme with the Super Team contest on Sunday, an event which saw Austria, Poland and Norway claim the respective gold, silver and bronze medals in at the Milano Cortina Olympic Winter Games last month.

2026 LAHTI WORLD CUP SCHEDULE:

Sunday, 8 March:
15:00 – Start Trial Round – WC Men’s Super Team
16:00 – Competition Start – WC Men’s Super Team

*All times are Eastern European Time (EET) and are subject to changes.