September 28, 2014 (Trondheim, Norway) – In her first event since the Sochi Olympics, Sarah Hendrickson, 20, secured second place finishes at the Continental Cup in Trondheim, Norway on both Saturday, September 27 and Sunday, September 28, 2014 with jumps of 92.5 and 100.5 meters respectively.

Her teammates on the USA Visa Women’s Ski Jumping Team also performed well in competition. On Saturday, Nita Englund came away with a ninth place finish, with Tara Geraghty-Moats and Nina Lussi finishing in 11^th place and 13^th place respectively. On Sunday, Englund improved her standing with a sixth-place finish, while Geraghty-Moats held steady at 11^th place. Lussi finished in 24^th place on Sunday.

Sarah Hendrickson © Women's Ski Jumping USA

At only 17 years of age, reigning World Cup champion Sara Takanashi of Japan, once again, took first place in both competitions, proving that she is the competitor to beat. Takanashi had jumps of 102.0 and 105.5 meters on the two days.

Sarah Hendrickson reflected on the competition, saying, “I am really content with the weekend and with my second-place podium finish. Although I was surprised at how nervous I was going into Saturday—and it showed with my technique—I was able to pull it together for some decent jumps. My next challenge is to catch up to Sara, but I am aware of some things I that must change to get there. All in all, I cannot explain how excited I am to be back after this long year of rehab! I’m so thankful to be healthy again and am excited for the World Cup competitions. Thanks to my coaches and sponsors for ‘having my back’ throughout this journey.”

Commenting on the competition, Visa Women’s Ski Jumping Team coach Alan Alborn said, “We had a good weekend overall. The athletes were able to overcome some nerves and tough rainy, windy conditions to compete with strength and focus. The challenging training and competition jumps on Saturday provided some “lessons learned” that we took into Sunday’s event. In her first event since Sochi, Sarah showed her passion for the sport and determination to get back on top by securing a spot on the podium next to rival Sara Takanashi. As a team, the athletes continue to work hard and are building their confidence in preparation for winter competitions. This was one of the best days we have ever had. ”

Vasja Bajc, who recently joined the team as travel coach, remarked, “The Visa Women’s Ski Jumping Team had a very successful weekend. With Sarah’s duo of second place finishes, together with Nita’s sixth-place finish on Sunday and other team members’ admirable performances, we are all really happy. Sarah is very positive and is working on building her confidence to fly long distances. It is nice to have her back with the team! The athletes are showing a great deal of enthusiasm and we look forward to training on several hills in Poland to prepare for the Nationals in Lake Placid in October.”

Day 1 Results
Day 2 Results

The USA Visa Women’s Ski Jumping Team will compete next at the Flaming Leaves Festival at Lake Placid on October 11-12, 2014.