August 9, 2009 – Simultaneously with the men’s Grand Prix starting this weekend in Hinterzarten (GER), the women’s Continental Cup (COC) summer series in Ski Jumping will get underway in Bischofsgrün, near Bayreuth in Bavaria (GER). After the kick off on the coming weekend with two normal hill competitions in the shadow of the greatest peaks in the Fichtelgebirge mountain range between, Schneeberg (1,051m) and Ochsenkopf (1024 m), the ladies’ summer circuit will continue in Pöhla, Saxony (GER) on 12th and in Oberwiesenthal in the Erzgebirge mountains on the German border with the Czech Republic on 14-15th August. The last two of the seven summer competitions will be held in Lillehammer (NOR) on 21st-23rd August.

“We are very excited for the summer series as it will be the first time we will be using the new suits especially tailored for the female body, with the main changes in the back part of the design,” commented Chika Yoshida, Coordinator of the FIS Ladies’ Ski Jumping Continental Cup. “The summer series’ separate ranking across the seven competitions represents a great chance for the ladies to test their level of fitness before the winter season. For us the main season highlight will be the ladies Junior World Championships in Ski Jumping in Hinterzarten in January 2010.”

75 ladies from 15 nations are expected at the start in Bischofsgrün this weekend. The 2009 COC title in ladies’ Ski Jumping went to Norway’s Anette Sagen – for the fifth time – before Daniela Iraschko (AUT) and Ulrike Graessler (GER).