Jerome Overcomes Challenges To Take Third In COC Germany tour

Ben TheyerlJanuary 17, 2011

BRAUNLAGE, Germany – Visa Women’s Ski Jumping Team members head home after a challenging Continental Cup tour in Germany that ended in heavy rain, fierce wind and several delays.

Jessica Jerome’s solid jumping led her to a third-place finish on the five-competition tour. Jerome entered this weekend’s two-event stop in Braunlage having notched three straight fourth-place finishes.

“The weather this weekend wasn’t stellar. Our official training was pushed back a day due to rain and wind, and it was quite a feat on the organizers’ part to even host two comps on two days,”  said Jerome, who nabbed 6th and 8th Saturday and Sunday in Braunlage. “I was happy to remain consistent in the past five comps, and I know that I can ski better than some of my individual results have been.”

Lindsey Van, who placed 3rd in Hinterzarten, finished 7th and 6th in Braunlage. Alissa Johnson posted her best result so far this winter season with a 9th on Sunday, and Abby Hughes continues to improve her jumps with 10th- and 12th- place finishes.

France’s Coline Mattel won a double victory in Braunlage, besting the COC tour’s overall leader, Austria’s Daniela Iraschko.

“Coline’s wins are more than deserved. She is jumping phenomenally,” Jerome said.

The Germany COC tour started off with the unexpected and tragic death of Italian ski jumper Simona Senoner, who was just 17. She died suddenly Friday, Jan. 7 in Schonach, Germany, after feeling ill in her hotel room. Authorities have said she died as the result of a severe viral infection.

Senoner’s death was a shock to her fellow jumpers and all the women jumpers wore armbands over their jumpsuits in her honor.

The Visa team now heads home to rest and train in Park City. The elite team will travel to Ramsau, Austria for two comps — provided there is sufficient snow — on Feb. 19-20 in preparation for the World Championships in Oslo, Norway on Feb. 25.

In the overall COC standings, Jerome is in third place with 598 points and Van is fourth with 519 points. The COC leader continues to be Iraschko with 1,000 points and Mattel is second with 740 points.

OFFICIAL RESULTS
Continental Cup
Braunlage, Germany
Normal Hill – HS100

Saturday, Jan. 15
1. Coline Mattel, France (97.5, 96.5), 255.0
2. Daniela Irashcko, Austria (90.0, 86.5), 218.5
3. Jacqueline Seifriedsberger, Austria (87.5, 82.0), 204.5

6. Jessica Jerome, Park City, UT (83.5, 83.5), 197.0
7.  Lindsey Van, Park City, UT (78.5, 86.5), 194.0
10. Abby Hughes, Park City, UT (77.5, 77.5), 185.5
14. Alissa Johnson, Park City, UT, (71.5, 78.0), 155.0

Sunday, Jan. 16
1. Coline Mattel, France, (86.5, 94.5), 234.0
2. Daniela Iraschko, Austria, (87.5, 93.5), 228.5
3. Melanie Faisst, Germany, (87.0, 85.5), 209.5

6. Lindsey Van, Park City, UT, (81.0, 86.0), 199.0
8. Jessica Jerome, Park City, UT, (80.5, 84.), 192.5
9. Alissa Johnson, Park City, UT, (82.0, 81.5), 188.0
12. Abby Hughes, Park City, UT, (74.5, 82.0) 169.0

Ben Theyerl

Ben Theyerl was born into a family now three-generations into nordic ski racing in the US. He grew up skiing for Chippewa Valley Nordic in his native Eau Claire, Wisconsin, before spending four years racing for Colby College in Maine. He currently mixes writing and skiing while based out of Crested Butte, CO, where he coaches the best group of high schoolers one could hope to find.

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