Alexandria Loutitt wins World Cup ski jumping silver for 2nd medal in Norway
19-year-old from Calgary took bronze on Saturday
Canada's Alexandria Loutitt will come away with two World Cup ski jumping medals from as many events this weekend in Lillehammer, Norway, after she scored silver in the large hill competition on Sunday.
The 19-year-old Calgary native took bronze in Saturday's normal hill event, both times finishing just behind Josephine Pagnier of France.
Loutitt scored a combined total of 267.5 points, 4.9 points back of Pagnier, who struck gold after taking silver on Saturday. Norway's Eirin Maria Kvandal was the bronze medallist with 252.8 points.
"My performance was better overall, and I am happy to have been able to achieve my personal goals in addition to the results-based ones," Loutitt said in a news release. "Yesterday, I was upset because I missed out on what I wanted to do results-wise because I didn't achieve my personal goals technically, but I was able to do that today."
Loutitt also said she's feeling more comfortable on the large hill.
"I am confident in my mental approach, and I fly well now. That wasn't always the case," she said. "I have good fast twitch muscles and long limbs that I can stretch out and get lots of lift, and chill in the air. That is where my strengths lie."
Calgary's Abigail Strate ended up 13th, finishing 50.5 points back of the winner. Strate said she had "a bit more fun on the big hill" on Sunday after she was disappointed with her 20th-place finish on Saturday.
"It was not the strongest results to show for the start of the season, but the jumps were a lot more relaxed as the weekend went on, and I can see what needs to be done before the next competition," Strate said.
WATCH | Loutitt is embracing the fear of ski jumping:
Louititt enters this season as the reigning world champion after scoring gold last March in Slovenia. She also helped Canada earn the country's first Olympic medal in ski jumping when she, Strate, Mackenzie Boyd-Clowes, and Matthew Soukup took bronze in the team competition at Beijing 2022.
"Going from being a kid from Canada who nobody knows to now showing up as a world champion ... is completely different. Knowing that I can now show up to an event and win is a very different experience than being an underdog," Loutitt said.
"I've never felt expectations for others, but I have had to learn how to deal with the pressure I expect of myself to podium. I think this shows consistency and proof that I'm in the competition, and that I'm in the fight for the Crystal Globe."
