Abigail Strate up blossoming on grand prix ski-jumping circuit after another bronze Sunday
WISLA, Poland — Canada's Abigail Strate is not shy to admit that she enjoys the summer sun but has never found her mojo on ski jumping towers around the world when the flowers are in full bloom during the Summer Grand Prix season.
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That has all changed over the last two weeks as the 24-year-old ski jumping rockstar is blossoming herself in the air.
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The Calgarian landed on the bronze-medal step of the podium in Wisla, Poland with 116.4 points on Sunday.
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'I'm a summer person, for sure,' Strate said. 'I like the sun and have always liked jumping in the summer. The last time I jumped well in the summer, it carried into the whole year, so hopefully this is a good omen for me.'
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Slovenia's Nika Prevc completed the golden sweep in Poland, winning with 126.2 points. Japan's Nozomi Maruyama topped Strate for the silver with 117.5 points. Canada's Nicole Maurer placed 26th.
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The world's best women's leapers have competed in a new spectator-friendly format each of the last two Sunday's. In the first round, athletes jumped in groups of five with the top two in each group advancing to the second round. Each of the top 20 competitors who headed back to the top of the hill started with zero points for the second round.
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No matter the format, Canada's Strate is prepped and ready to soar.
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'Right now, it feels a bit similar to when I got the (three straight) World Cup podiums, but it doesn't feel as unexpected,' she said. 'I know the jumps are good and I feel confident they will keep being good. It's not just happening in competition. I'm also always in the top three or four right now in official training and qualifications.'
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Strate has flown into a new stratosphere over the last two weekends while racking up four straight podium finishes including her first-ever victory, to go along with three bronze medals. She is only the second Canadian ski jumper to ever medal in two straight events on back-to-back weekends. Her 2022 Olympic bronze medal-winning teammate, Alex Loutitt, rattled off four straight bronze medals on the 2023 Summer Grand Prix.
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'In my heart, this is so fun, and I have many positive emotions,' added Strate. 'It feels great for me now, but I know this isn't when I want to be great. I really hope this can last until the start of the winter and through the season.'
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Strate's new approach into her flight path this season towards the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in February is paying off.
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'I feel like I'm approaching the jump in a different way. I'm seeing the jump as a whole now, so it is a different mental approach. I do lots of visualization and mental preparation, so by the time I attempt the jump I feel like I have done it 10 times already,' said Strate.
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